


Myths and Legends

by QueenoftheAmazons



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Domestic Fluff, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Gen, Original Character Death(s), Other, Romantic Fluff, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:13:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 45,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24939616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenoftheAmazons/pseuds/QueenoftheAmazons
Summary: This is my first long-term story that I will write with my OC, Persephone. I have written one for her before but it was more of a oneshot for The Arcana. This will be more of a dedicated series to her, and I hope you enjoy this story as much I put enjoy the time and effort put into it.In this story, it will start off from the events of S4 and the events present will be taking place from S5 through S8 in this story. My OC, Persephone, is a medical engineer from the Garrison and she is a mentor/friend/older sister figure to the paladins and other characters that will be featured in this story. I hope you enjoy her too!
Relationships: Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Ezor/Zethrid (Voltron), Haggar/Zarkon (Voltron), Lotor (Voltron)/Original Female Character(s), Lotor/Ven'tar (Voltron), past Ventar/Lotor
Kudos: 58





	1. Prologue

She remembered the old ways, when man and gods and creatures of all walks of life were associated with each other. She remembered the others like her, her fellow brothers and sisters. Demigods, they were called. Those hand picked by the Olympians themselves who served as liasons between man, gods, and the mythical creatures who shared similar origins. Even though there were others like her, Persephone was more familiar with the Amazonian way of life. While she had no true birth mother or father, the Amazonian queen Artemisia was the closest she had to a mother and the King of the Olympians himself, Zeus, was the closest she had to a father. As was told to her countless times, Artemisia molded Persephone from clay and Zeus breathed life into her. Although, it wasn't just life he breathed into her. Persephone's soul was that of two women who loved and lived for their people, especially for someone Persephone was destined. Both souls belonged to two women who were leaders in their way, and who both faced death without hesitation or fear. Such was fitting for the woman who lived as an Amazon in the Ancient World. Persephone came to know of these soul when they spoke to her in her dreams. By day, her fellow sisters taught her the ways of just war, healing, and diplomacy. By night, she was taught empathy, sympathy, and how love heals all by the two souls who helped give her life. Seeing the progress she made in life, Zeus wanted Persephone to make her way in Man’s World, away from the Amazons. Hesitant, but confident in her growth, Artemisia bid farewell to the closest person she considered her daughter and watched with a heavy heart as Persephone left. It was a night Persephone never forgot. ‘You are my greatest joy, but today you are my greatest sorrow.’ After a tearful goodbye, she left the place she called home and went to assist those in the world.

She met others like her, other demigods and other deities from all walks of life, and she never once felt alone. Their stories, cultures, languages, everything, it all stuck with Persephone as she lived through many lifetimes of the average mortal. Even as Man’s World advanced, and the old ways were forgotten, she never lost sight of her mission. For every comrade she befriended, every war ended, and for every life saved, Persephone knew this is what her 6,000 year life was meant for. She would admit though, that her greatest challenge was assisting a group of young teenagers and their mentor in their fight against an intergalactic tyrant. At first, Persephone had kept to herself, laying low as a medical engineer for the Garrison. She grew knowledgeable in the ways of science, and seeing that she had a strong suit for healing as she did with combat, she wanted to put her efforts to good use. Yet, her life was turned upside down when she caught these youngsters in the desert, trying to save their friend. Feeling responsible for them, she assisted them in their efforts and soon she found herself transported to space with them. It wasn’t long until they met two other life beings, whom Persephone grew to admire as well. Hearing these Alteans tell their woeful tragedy, Persephone couldn’t help but feel a kinship with them, as she slowly saw the old remnants of her ancient life fade away as well. Though at times there was a clash of leadership, she grew to love and care for these Alteans as she did for the paladins from Earth. At the end of the day, she knew she found a new family once again, and she would rather fight to the death for them than surrender.

While they did not know of her true origins just yet, Persephone was a friend, mentor, and older sister figure to these young ones, even before the war took them from the Earth. To Lance, Pidge, and Hunk, she was the older sister who listened to their tales of home and how they missed their families. If the situation ever reached a tipping point, she was their shoulder to cry on in the dead of night when others slept. To Shiro and Keith, Persephone was a reassuring presence, a comforting one that countered the harsh realism or cynicism both felt at times when the war. She could read them like the scrolls of Alexandria, and knew when to comfort them as a friend or give them the space to breathe and process. To Allura, Coran, and members of the Coalition, she was a trusted diplomat, leader, and a bright mind that was respectful and mindful of the diverse cultures they liberated. Even though she was not appointed as a paladin, Persephone proved herself more than useful with hand to hand combat, coordinated attacks, and hijacking the occasional combat fighter jet during clashes with the Galra. She had seen more than her fair share of wars. Although, when Persephone found herself wandering the Castle of the Lions at night, she could’ve sworn that she heard voices coming from the flying lion mechanisms. It was as if their energy recognized one so similar to theirs, and they wanted to know more about the mortal who looked like their paladins, but was so very different at the core. At times, Allura and Coran sometimes could sense that something was different, but settled to listen to her stories of her life back at the Garrison. Persephone did not yet reveal the true origins of herself, even though her soul was begging and yearning for it. _They are just like you, the three of you are living relics of such ancient cultures and traditions. In due time, I will tell them. All of them. We’ve fought side by side for months, maybe even years, and they deserve to know that much. Hera, Mother, if any of you can hear me, please give me strength._

With their growing success in this war, Persephone believed that the end to it all was inevitable. Despite their growing success against Zarkon and his tyranny, they had clashes with his heir as well. Even though he was an adept fighter, Persephone was disgusted with Lotor’s attacks. _This man does not fight with honor. Ares himself would be ashamed to be associated with his type of warfare._ Her distrust grew towards him, even from afar and when they weren’t facing attacks, she never let her guard down. It wasn’t until Voltron and the Coalition nearly had the Galra stronghold in their grasp, when Keith decided to sacrifice himself, that Persephone knew Zarkon’s heir was going to be a key player in their plans. She watched helplessly in her jet as Keith made his attack. Amidst her tear stricken face, frozen in horror as she saw the young man she came to care about propel his craft towards the beam of light, Persephone’s heart skipped a beat as she saw another air craft counter the attack, ultimately saving Keith’s life. In a split second, she breathed a sigh of relief and prepared herself for the worst. She could hear Coran’s frantic voice in her ear piece when the dust had settled. “Naxzela is returning to normal! You did it!” Persephone gasped, in relief and joy. “Good one Keith”, Shiro had exclaimed only to be countered with Keith’s confused voice. “It wasn’t me. It was Lotor. The cannon on his ship was the only thig powerful enough to take down that shield.” Now Persephone felt confused. This deceptive man sought to help us? Her fears began to rise again when she heard his voice croon over the intercoms. “Attention, paladins of Voltron and rebel fighters. I know we’ve had our differences in the past, but…I think it is time we had a discussion.” _Gods above, give me the patience and strength to see this through._


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as a forewarning, this is a bit of a long chapter, and I do apologize in advance. Here begins our story, with our leading lady and her teammates. Hope you like this introductory chapter. I tried to capture a bit of Persephone's personality here. She's serious, loyal, a bit nostalgic, and protective of those she cares about. 
> 
> So dear readers, enjoy and let me know what you think. It is only the beginning of a long journey that will never stay dull.

This was not happening. Nothing could be as unfathomable as this. The son of the monster they were fighting had surrendered and wanted to offer his help? Persephone’s mind was in a whirlwind of thoughts and confusion. How did she know that this wasn’t just all a ruse for the conniving prince, only for him to betray them in the end? _But he saved Keith. No, no matter, he may still harm you or those who you have come to care about._ She remembers when they first brought him into the Castle. He landed his craft in the bay area, and exited with arms held in a surrendering position. Lance and Keith both lunged at the man and forced his arms into the restraints they carried. None of the other inhabitants of the team, including Persephone, felt remorse for the pained expression on the man’s face as he was bounded and escorted away. Persephone felt the tension and fury radiating off Allura as Lotor was placed in the cell holding, and honestly she did not blame her. Despite the team’s brief reunion with Keith, he couldn’t stay long and attended back to the needs of his fellow Blades. When the interrogations began, it started off with rotations between Persephone, Allura, and Shiro. Neither of the trio wanted their enemy to catch on to their rendezvous, but each round proved to be frustrating. Even when Lotor offered his services, it felt like prying a rusty box with a crowbar. Though his efforts helped Voltron and the Coalition with every battle won, it was almost as if Lotor was starting to drag his feet. Additionally, Persephone was starting to grow tired of him as well, given that she did not appreciate his lingering eyes whenever she spoke with them. That and the lecherous way he offered a condescending “my sweet” or “my dear” whenever she left. Soon, it proved tiresome for Allura, Shiro, and Persephone to keep up these interrogations. “The three of us will question him together. If we present a united front, we have an advantage in our court”, Persephone firmly stated. “Very well. Let’s hope this effort proves successful”, Allura managed out with a sigh.

Soon, the team was provided with more intel, and the paladins were off to the moon of Tragoch. It was there where Galra sentries were established to be upgraded, but attacking that base would set back the enemy for months. The paladins had launched an attack that was proven succesfful at the end, even the moon’s lava interfering with their plans, and forcing them to act quickly in taking down the factory machines. Persephone greeted them as they returned victorious. “Come, we need to reconvene in the main area.” “Oh man! Going on missions is a lot easier when somebody gives you information before you get there”, Hunk exclaimed. “And yet, you still managed to run your lion into a wall”, Lance teased his fellow teammate. Persephone couldn’t help but let out a chuckle at his statement. Hunk tried to quickly defend himself, “Well, information is one thing but ability is something completely different.” Shiro decided to add in his two cents as well. “No doubt about it, we haven’t encountered a single problem”. Allura couldn’t help but agree as well. “We took down a vital target today, and it appeared to be easy.” While Persephone was in agreement, she couldn’t but feel a sense of dread in her gut. Shiro couldn’t help but notice the hardened expression on her face. “I know it’s on everyone’s mind, but it may be time to consider taking the next step.” Persephone knew what that entailed, and exhaled shakily through her nose. She composed herself before she spoke. “I’m still not comfortable with this. It just doesn’t feel right.” _May Athena protect us_.

The ride down the castle’s elevator felt tense and unnerving, as if the sound of a pin would cause everyone to jump. Shiro, Allura, and Persephone braced themselves for whatever laid ahead as they exited and made their way towards the illuminated cell that held the source of their information: Prince Lotor. Seeing him now, powerless and hunched over in the cramped cell, Persephone couldn’t help but feel smug at his current situation. Shiro broke the silence first. “Your intel checked out.” Lotor piped his head up. “You still feign surprise.” At that moment, he noticed Persephone, the woman who’s visible expressions gave him a bit of fun in teasing. _She’s a bit of a fun one to tease_. His calm façade slowly faded into a curled grin, one that reminded Persephone of cats who got into the bird cages. “All of the information I’ve given, proven correct. Every target I’ve provided, easily dispatched. Yet, you all still look at me—”. “As if you were the son of the most wretched ruler I’ve ever laid eyes upon, and served as an accomplice to harm innocents”, Persephone growled through gritted teeth. Did he really think he could manipulate himself out this situation? At her statement, Lotor’s face fell into a dismayed expression. “Can people not change? Is it so hard to believe that I wish to return the Galra Empire to a bygone era of peace?” He turned his attention to Persephone’s right side, where Allura stood. “Our fathers were friends once, long ago. There must be hope for us.” “I guess we still need convincing”, Shiro firmly stated. Nevertheless, Lotor still persisted. “The facts speak for themselves. The Galra Empire is completely reliant on quintessence. Serve that need peacefully, and you have a complete paradigm shift, a new dawn for the old empire.” Persephone never let her poker face falter, but this man’s chilling words concerned her. He sounded like the old city-state kings and the Caesars who became too greedy over the years and lost sight of being a leader for the people. Shiro still wasn’t convinced. “And you’re the man to make this happen?”

“My plan from the beginning has been to find a way to harvest quintessence without resorting to the barbarism of the Komar. Extracting quintessence from entire planets at the cost of every living thing? I think not.” He truly was a puzzle to Persephone. One minute he wants to seek power, yet consistently preached of keeping the peace with minimal casualties. Persephone could still feel the bitterness radiating from Allura. “And your solution was to send Voltron to do your dirty work.” “Only Voltron could retrieve the trans-reality comet. So, yes, I’m afraid I had to be a bit duplicitous in effecting its retrieval.” _Sounds like only he cares about winning, no matter who or what may be lost_. Persephone countered his position. “But if the paladins were killed, that would be fine for you, too.” At that, Lotor straightened his posture from his seated position, a bit taken aback by her words. “It was a calculated risk, I admit that. But I knew you’d come through without a scratch. Since recovering the comet, I haven’t been in the least bit aggressive.” _Liar. The scratches upon my flying craft beg to differ._ At that, Persephone swore under her breath in her old tongue, causing Lotor to pique his eyebrows in confusion at her small outburst. Allura pressed on forward with the interrogation. “What about your generals?” “A simple misunderstanding. I had no idea our paths would cross in the Ulippa System. What would I gain by fighting you? My sole focus has been finding a way to enter the zone between realities.” Allura still wasn’t convinced, and her anger only grew as he spoke. “Sounds like you _are_ your father’s son.” Lotor couldn’t take these harsh accusations and stood upright instead. “It was _your_ father who led the scientific exploration that discovered quintessence. An exploration, I might add, that resulted in the creation of Voltron. This isn’t a zero-sum game.” _Which is he? An Athenian realist or a follower of liberalism? Every time he speaks, he has more riddles than the Sphinx._

Lotor continued on with his rhetoric. _“_ Meeting the needs of the Galra Empire means bringing peace to the universe. That is the future enlightenment bring us, one of prosperity for all. I saved your lives and the lives of all your comrades. I have given you target after target in the Galra Empire, and all of them have been dismantled or destroyed at no cost of life to you. All I ask is to be judged by my actions rather than your preconceptions of my race.” Persephone was starting to realized deep down that this man had suffered terribly in life because of benign and shallow reasons. While her trust in him was still wary, she could feel his frustration bubbling over from behind the enclosure, and realized that his plans made sense from a strategic standpoint. Her face must have given away what she was thinking, as Lotor observed her, and added on with his final warning. “If that is beyond you, then perhaps you should just finish me and get it over with. Clearly, you are not ready to end this war.” The trio decided that this was enough for the day. They weren’t making much progress with him and they grew tiresome. Shiro and Allura filed out first, and Persephone followed last. Before she exited, she turned to take a look back at the frustrated man. “And what of you? You’ve never taken your eyes off me since I’ve arrived. Why do you continue to stare?” Persephone collected her thoughts before she spoke. “You speak of ending a war and peace, yet it seems to have some ulterior motive underneath it all. You remind me so much of many people I’ve encountered in my life, yet they have always delivered empty promises. I pray that when the time comes, your intentions are true and you know what is right in your heart when the moment calls for it.”

As soon as the three of them returned to the main area, Allura prepared for a meeting with the Coalition. They all congregated together to plan their next move with the members of the Coalition and with Keith and the Blades as well. Everything was smoothly outlined, and Allura concluded the meeting with a final note of hope. “This bid for liberty is only possible because of all our sacrifices. And we still have a long way to go before the entire universe is free.” The representative who reminded Persephone of a humanoid green catfish spoke with enthusiasm. “We’ll be behind you every step of the way.” Allura responded with a smile. “Thank you. We’ll reconvene soon. Until then.” As the others onscreen left, Keith and Kolivan, leader of the Blades, remained behind. “Did you complete the raids on targets we sent on our last communication?”, Shiro asked. “Yes. The information we received from Lotor has consistently checked out.” Pidge spoke up, with a hint of concern in her voice. “With all these successful missions taking place in such a short period of time, it won’t be long before the Galra realizes we’re using inside information.” Kolivan couldn’t help but agree. “That’s true. We should expect the enemy to change protocol soon.” At that implication, the team began to feel a bit uneasy. Everything seemed too simple, almost too easy with every battle. Something felt off, as if they were becoming part of a bigger picture. Shiro, Allura, and Persephone made their way back to Lotor’s holding cell. Needless to say, he was still miffed to see them. “Every lead I’ve provided you so far has been unerring, exact, and relatively easy to accomplish. Anything I would give you now would be somewhat more perilous in nature.” At that moment, Persephone knew something else was at stake. “We’re listening.” “I have some information I believe you would consider important on a more personal level. There is a prison, formerly under my control. It houses a special inmate.” Persephone deduced what that could mean, and she felt her heart sink at her realization. _He possibly couldn’t bargain with him?! Sam? Ancients, protect him until we arrive for him._ It wasn’t long till Shiro, Allura, and Persephone called in to Pidge and her brother at their location.

Shiro decided to be the bearer of news. “We have a lead on Commander Holt. Your father. Lotor gave us information on his whereabouts.” Pidge answered back with a panicked expression. “Where is he?” Persephone decided to step in as well, and at least try to console the one she saw as a younger sister. “Because your father was considered a valuable scientific asset, they’re being forced to work for the Galra Empire. According to Lotor, he’s still imprisoned but could be moved at any moment. You must hurry!” Allura couldn’t see her friends rushing off hastily, with the possibility of a worst case-scenario happening to them. “Pidge, Matt! If you wait for us, we’ll be able to provide you with backup.” Persephone recognized the rebels who spoke on their behalf, Rolo and Nyma. “Don’t worry, they’ll have backup. Persephone knew their efforts were in vain at this point. “Bring them back safe, and good luck.” Given the change of course, Persephone knew they needed a united front if they were going to launch any future attacks. “We should wait on launching any attacks until Matt and Pidge return. I have a feeling, that if we move forward, we’ll need all the help we can get.” Allura nodded. “Agreed, in the meantime, we could all use a brief respite.” Little did they know that nefarious forces were conspiring, at it had Commander Holt’s and Lotor’s life hanging in the balance. Lotor’s surviving generals; Ezor, Zethrid, and Axca came forward to the brute himself, Zarkon with a proposition. Axca dediced to speak first. “Emperor Zarkon, we have something in our possession we think you’d be interested in.” Underneath the mech that was now his body, Zarkon couldn’t help but manage a smirk. “I’m listening.”

Hours went by until Matt and Pidge arrived back at the Castle, both with crestfallen expressions. Persephone only knew what that could mean: they couldn’t find Sam. Pidge remained silent the entire time, with unshed tears glistening in her eyes. Even as the team decided what their next move would be to liberate Sam, Persephone could only walk over and hug the small-framed girl. It wasn’t much, but she knew that Pidge needed them right now. Suddenly, the Castle’s main screen sprang to life and Persephone’s breath caught in her throat when she recognized who it was. _Zarkon, you look more of a monster than man._ He spoke to them as one spoke cruelly to an animal. “I am making a one-time offer. I have someone of value to you.” At that, he stepped from the side, to a horrific sight. Sam Holt, bound, and surrounded by Lotor’s generals. Pidge sprang from Persephone’s arms with shock in her eyes. “Dad!” Zarkon only continued with his proposition. “I will hand him over, and in exchange, you give me my son Lotor.” _Gods above, how do we survive this?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! If you're still with me by the end of this chapter, I applaud you. I will say that not every chapter will be this long. I will be taking liberties with both canon and non-canon events, but in hindsight, the chapters will follow the main events from S5-S8, so things may seem familiar but everything will tie back together in the end. But I will say this though: yes, there will be a happy ending, so don't lose hope on me. ;) 
> 
> Enjoy!


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Update! So here's one of the most heart-pounding chapters (and episodes) that I hope you like! Let me know what you think!

As soon as Zarkon’s transmission had ended, it was as if the gates of Tartarus had opened up. Pidge didn’t hesitate to state her mind. “We’re taking that deal! I don’t care what any of you have to say!” She turned to Matt in her frantic state. “He’s alive! Our dad is alive! We have to get him back!” Persephone knew she wanted to save Sam as much as the Holt children did, but this was Zarkon. He could double cross them at any point. Matt could only reassure his younger sibling. “We’re going to. What’s the plan, Shiro?”. Persephone spoke up instead. “We cannot rush into anything, Pidge. We have to think this through.” “What is there to think through?! It’s my father! We are doing this!” Shiro tried to back up Persephone’s thought process. “We can’t rush into anything. We have to think this through. We have to go in with the assumption that Zarkon may double-cross us.” Pidge couldn’t take it any longer, her anger boiling over. “We have Voltron! We can do anything!” Matt tried to placate his sister’s fury, but she wouldn’t have it anymore. “We can’t let this opportunity slip away! We’re too close! Our father is too close!” Hearing enough of this banter, Persephone spoke her mind. “Enough, we will achieve nothing by bantering with each other. We have speak with Lotor. He is Zarkon’s son. Who better to discuss this with than with him?” Allura couldn’t help but gasp in disbelief at her words. “You’re not seriously considering allying with that brute, are you?!” “I don’t know Allura. At this point, I am willing to work with anybody.”

The entire team made their way to Lotor’s holding cell, silently mulling over their thoughts and what was to come. Seeing the grim expressions on their face as Team Voltron arrived and explained what was at hand. “My father has held the universe in a death grip for a millennia, but he sees it slipping from his grasp because of your efforts and because of mine. With our forces combined, we would provide the greatest threat my father has ever faced. He knows we could topple his empire, so this is his attempt to tear us apart.” After having Lotor with them for a few days, Persephone mused over his words as they kept her awake at night. _Does he truly speak as if he was a philosopher king? Maybe he does speak the truth about peace being the way._ “But united, we could forge a new path, open new doors to new worlds and crush the tyrannical ways of an old regime.” While Persephone was starting to think over Lotor’s words, Pidge was not going to let herself be fooled. “A regime you ran! We can’t listen to him. He just wants to save his own skin.” “It’s true. If you return me to my father, he would surely see to my demise. And with his most legitimate threat to the throne removed, he would only grow stronger.” _He just became our ally. We cannot lose him now._ Pidge continued to double-down on her stance. “One less threat to Zarkon and one less threat to us.” Lotor grew frustrated with the younger paladin, and instead turned his attention to Allura and Persephone. “Your father, King Alfor, once stood side by side with Zarkon and protected the universe from harm. There was no foe the paladins of old couldn’t defeat. Sadly, that time of peace has been lost, but, together, we can find it once more.” His indigo eyes shifted towards Persephone. “And you, Persephone, you spoke of my knowing in my heart to do the right thing. My intentions still remain true. Imagine a new generation that could life the mantle of peace. The children of a new generation, in an alliance together.”

At that moment, Lance intervened, feeling protective of the young woman he had feelings for and the one who basically became his surrogate older sister. “How ‘bout we don’t imagine that?!” Pidge couldn’t help but agree. “Lies! Every word he says is a lie!” Though she never enjoyed siding with her enemies, centuries of seeing mans’ wars taught Persephone that when someone comes forward after losing everything, they are more than willing to fight with their last breath to see it through. She knew deep down that what Lotor said was true, but she did not want to admit amongst the tense atmosphere. “And what of Zarkon’s words? You think he’ll return your father as he says? You think the corrupted leader of a ruthless empire will be true to his word? He wants more than just me.” Shiro had started to catch on to what Lotor was implying. “You think he’ll double-cross us.” “I think he’d do anything to rid himself of me and claim the Lions of Voltron.” Now it was Allura’s turn to mull over Lotor’s proposition. “An alliance with the heir to the Galra throne could end the war.” “What?!” Pidge had asked incredulously. Persephone went to Allura’s defense. “I know you don’t want to trust the Galra, but it could be the best option at the moment. Pidge, think of all the lives we could see and the countless worlds as well. Men, women, and children, all of them!” Meanwhile, Lance rushed to Pidge’s defense as well. “I’m with Pidge! Let’s get this guy out of here, pronto. Right, Hunk?” Hunk, being the more pacifist soul he was, tried to find the best side in this situation. “Couldn’t he lead the Galra toward peace from the inside?” Pidge let her emotions flow out. She wanted the final say, whether everyone on her team liked it or not. “We are turning him in and getting my dad back! We have Voltron to bring peace to the universe!” Lotor tried to offer his last self-defense. “Don’t play into Zarkon’s hands!” Shiro’s booming voice silenced the chaos. “That’s enough! We’re going through with the plan!”

Seeing as Shiro seemed to be the final answer for this predicament, it was decided. Allura and the rest shuffled out of out the holding cell, leaving Persephone and Shiro behind. “Shiro, we need to talk”, she whispered under her breath. “I think Lotor is telling the truth, but I know the team still doesn’t trust him. How’s about you and I try and mitigate this situation?” Shiro could only figure out what she was implying. They both agreed to their plan, and turned their gaze towards Lotor. He didn’t understand why, but Lotor felt his heart jump from his throat down to stomach. Heading back to her quarters to prepare, Persephone reverently dressed in her red flight suit, realizing the gravity of the situation at hand. Everyone moved swiftly. It was agreed that Shiro, Matt, Lotor, Persephone, and Pidge would be there to see this plan go through. As soon as their craft landed in the desert, Zarkon’s craft arrived as well. As soon as the doors opened, Zarkon revealed Sam as his captor. As soon as Persephone noted Sam’s presence, she went to retrieve Lotor. Yet, what she felt next gave her one of the biggest shocks of her life. All of a sudden, her eyes flashed white, her vision blurred, and she could hear a woman’s shrill scream echo through her mind. Next thing she knew, Persephone could see what was supposedly a vision Zarkon’s witch, but she was pregnant? The woman must have heard the same child’s laugh as Persephone did, since they both turned their heads toward the same child dressed in royal garments. Soon, that child had disappeared and a man stood where the child was. Lotor. Now, it made sense to Persephone, but hearing the witch’s voice murmuring _my son, Lotor_ only solidified her assumption: the witch was his mother. As soon as she took Lotor out of the holding cell, Persephone feigned concern as she examined his cuffs. Given her newfound knowledge, she whispered a prayer from the ancients. She prayed upon Apollo and Artemis, that the twins protect them in what was about to happen. _By your hands, let no harm come upon this man_. _He’s too important and valuable for us._ The exchange began, with Lotor and Sam waking towards their respective parties, and the rest of the team focused from the Castle.

However, everyone’s fears were only confirmed for the worst when Pidge raced to embrace her father. As soon as she embraced him, her sudden happiness vanished as the holographic form of her father. As Pidge crumpled to the ground, Persephone could see Samuel Holt still held captive by the generals. “No! No, we had a deal! We had a deal!” Her anguished pleas fell on deaf ears. “If you want the Earthling alive, you will forfeit Voltron to me immediately!” Pidge tried pleading again. “We have to get Dad! Shiro?” He never flinched, even at Pidge’s cries. “Hold your position until the time is right.” Zarkon only grew more impatient and frustrated at their hesitance. “Bring the lions now!” At that moment, Persephone noticed Lotor set their plan into motion. It all happened so fast, she barely had time to fully register it. He unleashed the bayard, freed himself from the cuffs and the general who held him in place, then proceeded to launch his attach against his father. Zarkon shielded himself, only to recuperate and prepared for what he knew was the end of something long overdue. “So, the time has come. This ends today. Persephone could see the bayard shift into a more traditional blade, and then both father and son launched themselves at each other. Persephone recalled how she read about father and son relationships in the manuscripts of Greek tragedies, yet her heart hurt at seeing it unfold before her eyes. Taking the opportunity, Shiro, Persephone, and the Holt siblings launched themselves towards the craft to rescue Sam. Observing from the sky, Lance, Allura, and Hunk realized their friends needed assistance and made haste as soon as possible.

The team of four finally attached themselves to Zarkon’s craft, prying open the doors. They were met with the shocked expressions of Lotor’s former generals. Pidge made their presence known as she roared, “Hey! Let my dad go!” Down below, Lotor and Zarkon revealed what was truly felt between the two of them, raw anger and all. As he fought for his life, Lotor recalled Persephone’s words from before: _I pray that when the time comes, your intentions are true and you know what is right in your heart when the moment calls for it._ He had barely known this woman, the same could be said for all of Voltron, yet here he was proving her right. If he survived this, maybe just maybe, they could come to an understanding of this. Back on Zarkon’s ship, Shiro had launched himself at the general with red skin mixed with other hues, her head appendage being utilized as part of her defense as well. Matt and Pidge fought against the more muscular one with ears bigger than a swan’s wings. Persephone only ducked and dodged to get herself towards the one flying the craft. The pilot noticed her approaching, with wide eyes, and set it to auto pilot. As soon as she launched herself at Persephone, her face fell as she saw this smaller woman throw jabs and punches that immediately made certain pressure points on her body fall numb. It wasn’t what Axca was expecting and she tried to defend herself again, only to be met with a numbness as more punches were thrown on pressure points on her shoulders, arms, and on the small of her back. Using her body weight, Axca threw herself against Persephone, throwing both of them into the control panel and switched the craft’s settings to non-gravitational. Everybody paused with wide-eyed surprise as they started to float. Pidge took advantage to throw herself forward where her father sat in the passenger side, yet Axca launched herself and Persephone towards the smaller paladin. As all three women grappled, Pidge at least managed to growl orders at her father to take the craft’s controls. Sam only managed what he could, despite his bound hands. At the same time, Lance, Allura, and Hunk finally arrived to the heat of the action and provided defense against the Galran airships making their advantage as well. It wasn’t long until Coran arrived to provide additional fire support as well.

Growing weary and frustrated at the generals, Persephone managed to grab Pidge amidst her floating around. As soon as she had a handle on her, she took the green bayard and launched its arrow head toward the one she had numbed earlier. It sent Axca flying backwards, colliding with Zethrid after Matt landed a blow on her, and finally colliding with Ezor after Shiro executed his attack on her. Sam and Pidge’s efforts to bring the craft back up sent the generals flying against the back door, and ultimately out of the craft as the doors were flung open. After getting the craft stabilized, Sam leaned back in his seat with a huge sigh of relief. Pidge raced towards her father and caught him in her embrace. Matt followed his sister’s lead as well. It was a touching scene for both Shiro and Persephone. A family reunited and a spark of joy amidst this god forsaken war. Meanwhile, Lance had managed to patch through to Shiro, alerting him of their successful efforts to fend off the other warships. Shiro congragulated their efforts followed by concern in his voice. “Where are Lotor and Zarkon?” Persephone overheard this and noticed out of the corner of her eye, puffs of smoke in the distance. _What is going on down there?_ While the team had rescued Sam, Lotor and his father came to brutal stand still in their fight, with Zarkon taking the black bayard from his son. Despite his weakened state, Lotor took some satisfaction in the situation. “Your fleet has been defeated. It’s over.” In his arrogance, Zarkon knew it would be over his son. Before he fired the bayard-weapon at his son, the lions from above released their artillery on him. Zarkon had enough of their meddling! He turned his attention towards Voltron, pointing the gun formed from the bayard at them. For a while, Persephone could see the glowing purple light grow and she saw her life flash before her eyes. This purple aura meant nothing but death no matter where they went, and she felt as if hers and the rest of Voltron’s was inevitable within seconds. Little did she know that Lotor saw what his father planned as he raced towards him and impaled his father with debris, ending the tyrannical rule of Zarkon once and for all. The purple light that flashed towards them missed all of Voltron and the craft with Shiro and the Holts, causing Persephone to let out a sound caught between a gasp and scream. With her heart thumping and pulse racing, her head was wrought with pain as she heard Zarkon’s last throes of death and then it was quiet. _First the witch, and now Zarkon? Why do these feelings and visions haunt me so?_ As she felt the second hand pain subside, she saw Lotor standing over his father’s body head bowed. As soon as he turned his head towards them, Persephone noticed the sun shining on him, as if Apollo and his sister heard her prayers, and the other deities were trying to tell her something. One way or another, Persephone had yet to realize the destiny that awaited her and how Lotor played a key role in that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter was worth the read! 
> 
> Fun fact: I based Persephone's fighting/punching skills off of Ty Lee from Avatar. I figured that chi blocking was an interesting concept, and given Perse's background as an Amazon, she'd know a thing or two about multiple fighting techniques. 
> 
> Next chapter will be bountiful of Persephone and Lotor bonding. Some fluff, but it will be two people who are starting to have more clarity of each other as they talk.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New chapter is up!! It's the start of fluff, and Persephone and Lotor learn how to bond a bit more! :D
> 
> Hint: she got put on probation (oops, well no good deed goes unpunished)

Zarkon was dead. Him and his violent legacy were finally vanquished. It was all over, or was it? Once the news was known, the other Galran commanders gathered their troops and those who were loyal to them, to conspire and seek the position of Emperor for themselves. Team Voltron was still needed in this fight. After the fight with Zarkon, the craft with the Holt family, Shiro, and Persephone landed in order to let Lotor board. He silently entered, avoiding eye contact with anybody and taking his place near the back doors. Persephone noted his tired and haggard demeanor, as if he was closing into himself. It was a silent trip for everybody as they made their way back to the Castle. No one spoke, but it seemed that nothing needed to state the obvious: everyone at least needed the rest of the day to themselves after what had just occurred. The next day, Pidge decided to take her father and brother to visit the Olkarion to check on the inhabitant’s and the progress they made post-Galra exile. Met with little resistance, and a promise to return tomorrow, Persephone couldn’t blame the girl. She had her family reunited with her. Who wouldn’t want to savor every moment with them? Pidge knew the severity of the situation, with Zarkon being dead, yet she wanted a brief moment with her family to show them the progress that Voltron had made. Besides, her concerns remained with Lotor after yesterday’s events. While she could see on the surface the type of relationship Lotor had with his father, she knew so little of the tumultuous emotions he felt inside.

Changing out of her flight suit and into her more casual Earth clothes, Persephone made her way towards the main area with the Castle’s crystal. She noticed Lotor sitting there with a thousand-yard stare on his face. She offered a simple greeting, yet was only met with the same blank expression. The atmosphere felt thick and heavy, as if one could cut it with a knife, yet Persephone wouldn’t let that deter her. “They should be here any minute.” He finally spoke. “Good. There is much to discuss.” His voice sounded tense and unwavering as he spoke. Her concern only grew. “Are you all right?” Lotor never let his gaze flicker towards her. “I’ll be fine.” _That is a damned lie. Your father is dead, by your hand. You cannot think like that_. Persephone made her way over to him, slowly, as if displaying that she was not a threat and that she was concerned. Lotor’s expression changed into one of slight surprise as she walked over and sat down next to him. No one, friend or foe, had gotten that close to him unless it was by his permission. “I understand that he was your father, despite all that happened before this. You two were blood, and while he was a Paladin of Old, I believe that part of him from his past would want you to create a new hope for all, and so far you have. This is not an easy burden to carry just by yourself. If you ever need to speak about it, or other matters, I have an ear to lend.” At that, Persephone gently patted his shoulder in a sign of good faith. She felt his body tense up at first, but soon it gave way to relaxation at the gesture. “I do know this though: you are not your father. You have proven that much, and while the others may not be convinced, it is enough for me.” He was taken aback by her words, a calmer expression taking place instead of the hardened one from earlier. Deep down in his heart, Lotor sought out companionship, comradery, just any feeling of a union. Yet, while the other paladins seemed to avoid him, this one woman made an effort to acknowledge him. He met her gentle, concerned gaze with his of tiredness mixed with appreciation. He planned to say more, until they were interrupted.

At that, the keypad to the main area’s door beeped as it flew open. Both Lotor and Persephone quickly stood up as the paladins stood in the entry way. Persephone was met with Allura’s sharpened expression, having been told what she and Shiro had planned earlier. Lance was visibly surprised as he flinched back at what he saw. “Looks like it’s just Prince Lotor just hanging out on the bridge. Guess that’s a thing happening.” Coran looked concerned as well. “I suppose we’ll have to get used to it.” Shiro didn’t hesitate to get down to business. “What’s going on, Lotor?” “The death of my father has created a power vacuum within the Galra Empire. The most formidable Galra leaders will gather for what is called the Kral Zera, sometime in the next two days to decide who will take the throne. W must be there!” _Seeing as he is the only one we can trust at this point, I don’t blame him for this decision._ However, the rest of the team didn’t think the same as she did, evident by Lance’s demeanor. “So, you want _us_ to fly _you_ into the middle of a meeting with all of the most powerful Galra leaders?” She didn’t like where this was going. Allura seemed to follow what her teammates were thinking as well. “Lotor, we appreciate all that you sacrificed, but this sounds far too dangerous.” Now, Persephone really had to intervene at this point. “Forgive me, Allura, but you said so yourself. He’s sacrificed so much at this point. He defeated Zarkon, the strongest of them all! It’s not arrogant of us to assume that we can still be victorious with this.” Shiro nodded in agreement. “We’ve been in more dangerous situations with much less to gain.” Lance, Allura, Coran, and Pidge seemed to be on the same page, as in the mission was too soon to plan or that it was too dangerous. That only added to Shiro’s frustration, given his sharp snap at Lance. “Look, this isn’t a vote. I’m the leader of Voltron, and I’m making this decision!” This wasn’t how Shiro normally acted, yet he still had a point to all this, but Allura still took offense to it. “Like when you and Persephone armed Lotor with your bayard without consulting the rest of us? The two of you almost put the entire operation in jeopardy!” “WE put an end to Zarkon’s reign. Now is the time to finish the job!” Lotor grew tired of their petty arguments, seeing as how every second lost was precious time wasted. “While you all waste time squabbling, sinister forces are conspiring to fill the Galra power void. If I do not return to claim the throne, there is no telling who will.” Even now, Lotor was right. His fomer generals claimed allegiance to the witch, and rogue Galra forces were launching an attack against the Olkarion.

After time had passed from their heated meeting, the paladins split up to either pick up on their training, or in the case of the Holts, spending their last moments with their father before his departure. That just left Persephone and Lotor remaining the bridge area. She had never really been alone with him before, and the realization finally dawned on her. “I apologize for what happened earlier, but you have to understand that this is a uncharted territory for all of us. Hopefully, they’ll come around soon.” Lotor only scoffed at Persephone’s proclamation. “Yes, well hope may not be the best tool at our hand. We need to take action immediately. What more could they possibly want from me to prove myself?” She felt pity for him. “That is not entirely true. Whether you realize it or not, your actions have offered a sliver of hope. It may not be tangible, but it’s the idea, a seed planted that will grow and flourish. It just takes time.” Persephone turned his gaze towards Persephone with a somewhat amused, yet confused expression. “You speak as if you yourself have experienced this longer than the paladins.” Persephone knew she hadn’t yet revealed her true nature to the others, but she wasn’t about to let her guard down now. “Let’s just say, war and diplomacy have been in my family for generations. It is not lost on my bloodline.” Now, his interest was piqued. Who really was this strange woman? She looked as old as the rest of Voltron, still younger than Shiro, yet she spoke and carried herself as if she had lived multiple lifetimes. “My family only knew of war and strife, yet yours sounds almost as if they themselves were like the Alteans.” Persephone chuckled at the sentiment. “You could say that. There were many of us, many bloodlines and generations. We were in wars, yet were also scholars, diplomats, leaders, and studied the stars as well.” As she spoke, Persephone turned her head outwards to face outside the Castle’s windows, a nostalgic yet forlorn look upon her face. “If only they could see this now.” From a certain point of view, Lotor could understand where she was coming from. All his life, he searched for belonging and found that with his Altean heritage and the legacy of his mother, and he wished she could be present with him now amidst all this.

As soon as news reached Voltron of the attack against the Olkarion, the team rushed off to their aid. Persephone had quickly changed into her flight suit, ready to board her jet, yet she was abruptly stopped by Allura as the others boarded their lions. “I think you should forfeit this mission for the time being, as you are not a paladin”, she said stiffly. “Allura, look, it won’t hap—“. “Please, not now. I do not want you to jeopardize this mission.” Not wanting to sow anymore seeds of discourse, Persephone let them be as they attended to their allies. Noting that their guest was still left alone, she thought to remedy that as she head back to the bridge. _Given the old laws, he is our ally and he is under our roof. Maybe it’s time some camaraderie is extended._ Lotor was met with a quick invitation as she returned. “Have you had a proper meal in a while?” If Lotor had been told he would be under the roof of his enemies-turned-somewhat allies, he would have laughed at whoever expressed such a ridiculous idea. Yet, now, he only had no one to laugh at except himself, seeing as how he was treated in such a casual manner. Persephone had led him to the kitchen and allowed him to sit while she gathered ingredients, yet the more she concocted her dish, the more his curiosity got the best of him. “I know that it’s a bit different from the food goo that has been normally served to you, but I feel something fresher is better suited. Thank goodness Hunk made sure we made some stops along the way.” Persephone had taken several initiatives to speak on his behalf and to treat him kindly, yet Lotor hadn’t expressed his gratitude or appreciation for her actions. While she was starting the stove’s fires and gathering cooking utensils, his voice caught her a bit off guard. “So, your name, I’ve never heard of that name before, at least not among the Galra or in Altean history books.” Persephone smiled fondly, remembering the stories from childhood about the goddess she received her namesake from. “It’s from the land of my ancestors. It was the name of one of the old gods, the goddess of spring that the ancient ones worshipped, yet it had a duality to it. She was also called the ‘bringer of death’, which I thought ironic for the one who led in new life.” “The bringer of death? I believe it quite suits you, seeing your efforts in this war and all.” Persephone paused on her mincing of vegetables, lips thinly pressed together. “It’s not that I enjoy taking a life, but I have come to realize that my name, along with this war, is a dyad in of itself. Life and death are a part of balance, and as a warrior for Voltron, I hope those who have passed on only seek peace in the afterlife, while a new generation takes it fruition.” She let that hang in the air as she resumed her cooking, the smells of the olive oil, salt, vinegar, and dough wafting around the kitchen.

“I do not mean to offend. I am just trying to learn more about who I’m in league with.” “I understand. To know your friends and enemies, is to know yourself.” Not wanting to end on an awkward note, Lotor continued his conversation. “You mentioned that of old gods. What were they like?” Stirring the beans while also placing bowls of olives and hummus out, Persephone continued the story of her people. She told of the goddess and the others of the Pantheon, how humans wanted to relate to them, and how the everyday life was in reverence and appreciation for what they had. It seemed to have such a familial undertone to Lotor. All these deities with multiple children, and how they were liaisons between two worlds? The Galran and Altean deities of old were nothing but myths now, but to still have a sentimental connection as Persephone did, was something unfamiliar with both cultures. However, the story that did catch Lotor’s attention was that of the goddess she shared the name with and of the goddess’s marriage to Hades. _I see it’s more fitting of her than she lets on. Life and death, tied to each other in a monogamous union, for all eternity._ Despite her storytelling, there was a thought that still nagged at his mind. “Persephone, I wanted to ask you about something from before. Before, the…death of my father, you mentioned about how I reminded you of those from before. What exactly did you mean by that?” _Oh, so he was paying attention to that then._ “It was a philosophical belief from centuries ago. The philosopher kings, they were called. They were rulers who possessed a love of wisdom, as well as a willingness to live a simple life as well.” Even as he was reaching for the food she laid out, he paused in between bites. _She thought of me already as a king?_ “Hearing you talk of an alliance, and seeking peace, it showed me that you wanted to create a better community for all.” Her words didn’t quite calm the anxiousness he felt about the Kral Zera, but it soothed a part of him. As Persephone started to prepare more dishes; consisting of a small fish called sardine, a type of honeyed and sweet dough, and roasted meat that started to make his mouth water, Lotor’s scholastic personality pushed on for more knowledge. “Your culture back home sounds rich with myths that fare alongside the Galran and Altean ones I’ve grown up with. Could you tell me more?” Seeing that she still hadn’t created her flakier desserts, Persephone responded with a smirk and cocked eyebrow. “How much time do you have?”

She told him of the myth of man’s creation, how the Titans and gods shaped the world and the universe. Stories of the creatures that lived among man, and the demigods who slew the fiercest of them. Persephone also told him of her people, the Amazons, and of their contributions to mankind. She spoke with such a reverent and jovial tone about them, he could’ve sworn that she herself was one. _Nonsense. No human life perseveres as long as a Galran one does._ However, Persephone was careful not to reveal her true origins just yet. _He may be an ally now, but a true friend deserves to know that much._ During their conversations, a thought finally dawned on Lotor: he was happy, or at the very least, happier than what he had previously felt in his life. Seeing Persephone’s eyes light up as she spoke of her stories, he felt a sort of content, though he couldn’t quite label it. Was it domestic? Friendship? Or just a kind soul extending a hand towards him? No matter what it was, he didn’t want it to end. He didn’t realize how long it had been since he was in the presence of a genuine soul, one that didn’t shy away from him. The last one he could remember though, he missed terribly. It was as if Persephone and Lotor had escaped to a whole new world of their own with their conversation, it didn’t dawn on them as the rest of Voltron arrived back to the Castle, more surprised and shocked than normal at the casualness between the two. Despite his appreciation for the smaller joys in life, Lotor would have to prepare for the fight of his life. In the Galra headquarters, Zarkon’s witch, his generals, and his oldest enemy, Sendak, were conspiring against the Kral Zera. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another fun fact: the dishes that Persephone makes in this chapter are 
> 
> 1\. Fassolatha  
> 2\. Gastrin (ancient baklava)  
> 3\. Loukoumades (honey puffs)  
> 4\. Sardines with oregano and garlic  
> 5\. The meat roasting would probably be beef or gyro/lamb


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's get ready to rumblllleeee! It's Kral Zera!

Waking up, Lotor felt more refreshed and fuller than he had in quite a while. He had never really gotten that much sleep before in his 10,000 year existence, but for once, he actually felt rested. Recalling yesterday’s events, he realized that he quite enjoyed Persephone’s company and the meal they had eaten. He never really had that pleasant of company in a while, but he appreciated the gesture. Plus, she and Shiro had been the ones to advocate for a spare room for Lotor, so the sentiment was not lost on him. Besides, sleeping on the bridge or in the cell was starting to prove quite uncomfortable. As he rose and readied for the day, a wave of realization washed over him: the Kral Zera. That was today. Suddenly, his mood shifted from more refreshed to a grim one. He knew he needed to address the paladins again today, in a last plea for the Kral Zera. For the first time in a while, he hoped. He hoped that this encounter would end better than the previous attempts.

As he walked out of his spare room, he noticed Persephone coming out of hers, dressed in a silver flight suit. _That’s a new addition_. “Good morning”, she greeted him with an airily voice. “Greetings to you as well.” She offered him a half smile, but noticed the tense demeanor he carried around him. Seeing that he was not an easy man to talk to at times, she decided to let it go and rather focus on the meeting that was pushed to first thing in the morning. Hunk ran into the two of them in the hallway as he was making his way over to where the rest of the team had met. “Uh guys? C’mon hurry! Can’t be yelled at for missing this one!” Entering into the Castle’s main area, everyone waited patiently for a debrief. Lotor quickly ran a recap of the previous events that took place on Olkarion. “I’m telling you, Branko’s wanton attack was only the beginning. Without an emperor, more and more high-ranking officials will start lashing out and consolidating their power at the Kral Zera.” Amongst the confused faces, Hunk put into words what everyone else was thinking. “Uh, just gonna jump in here. What exactly _is_ the Kral Zera?” Lotor, however, remain unfazed. “It’s the coronation ceremony for a new emperor or empress. It is held on one of the first planets we, uh – the Galra, conquered. Planet Feyiv, a sacred land.” _Seems like we’ll need all of our eyes and ears on this mission._ “Okay, so who all will be at this Kral Zera?” “Allow me to show you.” At that instant, Lotor turned his attention to both Persephone and Allura. “May I?” “Go ahead.” Allura seemed a bit surprised that he acknowledged Persephone. _What exactly have they been talking about?_ Lotor turned back to the Castle’s main screens as he pulled up the numerous faces of his opponents: Warlord Ranveig, Commander Gnov, Quartermaster Janka, and finally Zarkon’s witch, Haggar. All three of them; Allura, Persephone, and Shiro, tensed up at seeing this foe again. “We’ve met.”

Although, she didn’t want to say it, after her vision at the final battler with Zarkon, Persephone couldn’t help but feel unsettled at what she saw. _She possibly cannot be his mother. He is complete antithesis of her. How is it possible?_ After assessing who they were up against, Shiro knew exactly what needed to be done. “We should help Lotor take command of the Galra Empire.” Allura still wasn’t convinced. “Shiro, we’ve already discussed this. It’s far too risky.” Persephone knew that withholding any longer would only cause more damage. “Allura, I know that it may be risky, but we can’t let this fear hold us back. I heard about what happened on Olkarion. Any longer we wait, there may be collateral damage to everyone we’ve helped during our missions.” Pidge spoke up as well with her concerns. “How would we even get Lotor there without stirring up a huge fight?” Lotor looked confident, almost too confident, with his response. “I’ll be bringing Voltron.” Persephone couldn’t help but wince at his words. _Oh Lotor, that may have not been the best choice of words._ “Shiro, Persephone, we can’t allow this to happen.” Shiro made a frustrated grimace at her words before walking off. “I’m sorry to hear that.” As she saw him leave, Persephone felt her gut instinct pull her towards him. Was he trying to plan something again? Persephone quickly glanced at Lotor’s forlorn and disappointed expression as she searched for her teammate. “I knew you’d follow. We need to talk about some things, and we need to include Lotor in this again.”

It seemed that Shiro’s plan was perfectly timed. With the other Galra commanders, and the Blades of Marmora arriving at the same destination, it seemed as if it also couldn’t have been more ill timed. As the Galra commanders began their brutal displays of strengths against each other, Keith and the rest of the Blades had armed the base with bombs, ready for what was to come. As Shiro flew the Black Lion to Planet Feyiv, Persephone followed closely behind in her fighter jet. She remembered talking to Lotor before their departure, how calculated and calm his voice had been during their conversation. “Are you nervous?” Lotor’s golden and blue eyes focused on her intensely. “Nerves have never been a weakness of mine. I shall put an end to this rivalry once and for all.” Knowing that they would be outnumbered, Persephone was taken aback by his confidence, but he did defeat his father, so this may be a victory for them as well. Meanwhile, back at the Castle, it seemed quiet, perhaps too quiet. Pidge had taken notice of Shiro and Persephone’s absence, and decided to check in with Allura. “Hey Princess, do you know where Shiro is?” “Let me check.” Allura gasped as she saw the empty hangars. “He isn’t on the ship. His lion is gone too, along with Persephone’s jet.” Her face hardened at the realization. “Where’s Lotor?”. Back on Feyiv, Commander Sendak had taken down and disabled his enemies one by one. Almost the victor, the Kral Zera was interrupted by the roar of the Black Lion and Persephone’s jet as they flew over the congregation. All of the Galra were in a state of shock and awe. Keith was in shock too, but not from familiarity. He knew what the Blades were planning, and couldn’t take the risk of his friends getting hurt.

Sendak only growled as he saw the Black Lion opened and revealed Lotor standing inside. “Halt! Your true emperor has arrived.” If looks could kill, then Persephone could see the Galra and Zarkon’s witch launching a thousand and one daggers in Lotor’s direction. Sendak could only sneer at this pathetic display. “You? Lead the Galra Empire? What could possibly make you think that you could be _our_ emperor?” Though they were a good distant away, Persephone could somewhat make out Lotor’s display to the rest of the crowd. “My father’s blood is not just in my veins. It’s also on my sword. The emperor fell to me and so will anyone that stands in my way.” Lotor walked past those who looked upon him with dismay continuing his speech of how he had returned the Black Lion, a part of his father’s legacy, to his father’s people. As if on cue, the Black Lion roared as a prowess of its power. Sendak displayed his arm, preparing to end this through combat. From her place, Persephone could see an exchange between the witch and Lotor, and given by Lotor’s expressions, she could only imagine it was more salt poured onto the wound of him being labeled as not fit to rule. That didn’t stop from Lotor from turning away towards Sendak and charging towards him with his weapon draw. Sendak’s only response was to charge towards Lotor as well with his mechanical arm prepared to fire. Seeing the fight unfold before her, it was a scene out of the mythos itself. Lotor and Sendak’s attacks, with their flips and jumps, reminded Persephone of her old battles when she and her brethern took their enemies by surprise. A prince taking what was his against those who wanted to see him fail. If it was possible, the Muses and their Choruses would sing of this for the ages. Persephone was brought out of her daze as bright orange flames erupted from an entrance of the steps leading up to the flame. As the smoke was clearing, Persephone could see that Keith had taken grasp of Lotor to protect him against the flames. Soon, all hell broke loose as the Galra launched attacks against their own, seeing as they were betrayed.

Down on the ground, Shiro and Persephone began to take the Galra’s firepower from their ships. “Shiro, Keith is down there! We have to cover him!” Shiro turned the Black Lion towards the source of the aerial attacks. “Perse, cover him! I’ll try and lead the rest of them away!” Both aircrafts turned towards both Galra individuals and ships as they sought to protect Lotor and Keith. Before she could fire at the other ships, Persephone first fired a warning shot towards Sendak’s direction. _You bastard! After the pain and strife you’ve inflicted on us, to Shiro! I hope you will not survive this!_ Maybe it was her blinded rage, or her growing frustration at all the Galra who stood in their way, but Persephone moved in a calculated way. Her rage was steady, but she never lost sight on who was attacking her as she let loose all of her ammunition on whatever target crossed her path. As Persephone made her way farther into space, she could see a bright flash as the Castle’s portal appeared and the rest of the lions filed out. Call it relief, but Persephone couldn’t have been happier to hear Lance’s voice on her earpiece. Shiro called the group to Voltron’s formation as Persephone circled around them, providing cover and defense for her team. Seeing that he was losing this fight, Sendak repelled Lotor’s attacks before making his escape. Up above, he could see the rest of the Galra ships beginning their retreat from Voltron’s attacks, as he growled in disappointment. This fight wasn’t over yet. He would destroy Lotor, the paladins, and that accursed wench who shot at him earlier. As the Galra ships fled, Persephone followed behind Voltron as they made their way back to the flame’s base. As she saw Lotor ascend the steps with his torch, Persephone was relieved that this war was over. Lotor had become their ally, and now they had helped him secure the throne. Everything was to their advantage now. The Archivist made his bold declaration to all as the Galra acknowledged Lotor as their new leader. “The flame it lit! Bow to your emperor.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is staying safe and staying healthy! And I hope this story offers a bit of some happiness during these times!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter update! Here, Persephone is with Allura and Lotor as they search through the lab. Of course, they find Oriadne, yet Persephone starts to discover a few new things about herself. A build up you say? To what exactly?

After the Kral Zera, Lotor did not return with the rest of Voltron, seeing as he was the new leader and took his place at the Galra headquarters. At the same time, Sam Holt knew that he was needed back on Earth to assist the Garrison in preparations for war. While it seemed logical to defend oneself, Persephone thought it odd now that Lotor was their secured ally. No matter, she kept the thought to herself, not wanting to ruin sentiment with the Holts’ goodbyes. After a teary exchange between a father and his children, and seeing how it affected Hunk, Lance, and Coran, Persephone couldn’t help but smile as well. It was a smile for a reunited family, and for the message of hope they sent along to the other families that assured them the other paladins were safe. As soon as Sam Holt left for Earth via the Castle’s portals, preparations were soon under way for Voltron’s meeting with Emperor Lotor. Given that they were going to meet royalty at this point, Persephone donned on her more formal silver suit for this occasion. Her stomach turned into a mesh of knots and butterflies, anticipating anything as the Castle approached Galra headquarters. Always one to speak his mind, Lance broke the tension. “Can’t believe we’re flying into the belly of the beast.” Hunk couldn’t have agreed more with his friend. “Strange to think last time we were here, we were fighting the Galra. Now we’re working with them.” Persephone placed her hand on Hunk’s shoulder in a sign of support. “The tides of history have turned in our favor, Hunk. This is a chance for all of us to promote a new era of peace.” As the Castle docked, everyone filed out and made their way to the main hall of the Emperor’s headquarters. At the center stood Lotor, with two sentries, and the ceilings were adorned with an unfamiliar emblem that contained the old legacy of the Galra Empire.

Lotor’s cheerful greeting caught Persephone off guard for a second. _This is most I’ve seen him smile since we’ve met._ “Thank you for coming, friends. I have prepared a new imperial banner to herald our alliance. This is the same that flew over the old paladins of Voltron. I hope that we can return the universe to that golden age.” His words of hope were met with wide-eyed stares and surprised looks. Just as soon as Lotor had formed a smile plastered on his face, it fell just as quickly. “Since I ascended the throne, the Galra Empire has been torn apart. A sizeable portion has sworn its allegiance to me. However, massive factions remain in revolt.” With every word he said, Persephone felt herself lose a bit of hope. _Knowing how much this culture seeks war and revenge, it would be naïve to think they would just simply accept him._ Shiro seemed to have been reading her mind as he spoke next. “How do you get an empire that’s only known violence for thousands of years to put down their weapons?” Lotor simply strode over to where he, Allura, and Persephone were standing. “By providing them with the very thing they’ve been fighting for: quintessence. Unlimited amounts of it. And, Allura, you and Persephone are the key to getting that.” Hearing him say that, it made Persephone’s heart flutter a bit at his praise. “I’m sure you’ll be interested in inspecting every aspect of the Galra headquarters.” He offered every resource available to them, including collaboration of information from Galra headquarters. Offering a sentry to take Shiro and Coran to the record room, and leaving a personal escort with the other paladins, Lotor subtly hooked his arm through Persephone’s as they started walking to their task at hand. “Come, Princess, we have much to do.” At that statement, Persephone felt her cheeks flush at such an open statement, but held back her tongue as she realized that Allura was walking alongside Lotor as well. _Oh. Well that makes more sense._

Soon, the three of them reached Haggar’s lair, broken glass and vials everywhere that showed her hasty departure. Allura sighed at the magnitude of such a lab. “What is this place?” Lotor only stated the obvious with a matter-of-fact tone. Now Persephone felt confused. “Wait, why would you bring us here? And, if I might ask, why include me in these talks as well?” Lotor turned his attention towards both women. He acknowledged Allura’s concern first. “Our fathers traveled through the rift into the space between reality. I believe Alfor’s Altean alchemy made that possible.” Lotor shifted his gaze towards Persephone next. “Given our extensive conversations about history and culture, your knowledge would be beneficial in helping us understand texts and data from the richest corners of the galaxy. There may be something in here that contains secrets that Haggar was unable to unlock, but the two of you can.” Allura still seemed hesitate about the entire situation. It felt as if it was moving too fast for her liking. “I shouldn’t be here. I don’t even know if my father’s abilities passed down to me.” As she was turning away, Persephone gently grabbed Allura’s hand. “Allura, wait. I know it may seem impossible, but so did liberating the universe at first. We can’t lose sight now, and if anything, we can’t lose that spark of hope we’ve put into existence. We’re with you till the end.” Seemingly convinced, Allura was assured at her friend’s words. From Lotor’s perspective, he took comfort in hearing Persephone’s words. Since meeting her, he started to realize that he found her presence refreshing, and though it was subtle at times, he was a bit smitten with her advocating for him in their war efforts.

The three of them decided to split up and scoured every inch of the witch’s lab. Exotic plants, skulls from creatures, and multiple devices were fascinating to Persephone. She had seen tools before in the ancient physicians’ offices before, but the Galra technology far surpassed her expectations. As she crossed by a shelf, Persephone could’ve sworn she heard a low humming noise. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a small handheld device beginning to glow and vibrate a bit. As she walked out of its vicinity, the device stopped its activity. _That’s odd. Why is it reacting that way?_ As Persephone inched closer to it, the device lit up and began to hum again. Unbeknownst to her, Allura thought she noticed the same activity as well, but decided to brush it off as a trick of the light. She made her way to where Persephone stood and picked it up. Persephone called Lotor over to note their discovery. “Look at this. It's an Altean science log.” Lotor took it into his hands, and soon a screen appeared, highlighting the surprised smile on his face. “This was written by my mother, Honerva, thousands of years ago.” Now both Allura and Persephone were surprised at this revelation. “Your mother was Honerva? The Honerva who discovered the rift on Daibazzal?” Recalling Coran’s story of the old paladins, and remembering her vision before Lotor killed his father, Persephone realized that Haggar and Honerva were the same person, and that Lotor was a living embodiment of a bridge between two great cultures. _You grew up with these types of stories, you lived it, Persephone, and here is your ally who has that similarity with you._ She could only manage out the obvious, amidst her nerves. “That means…you’re half Altean.” Lotor acknowledged Persephone’s statement. “Yes, it is something the Galra considered a weakness, but I considered it a strength.”

Both women tried to at least process this newfound revelation, with Allura deciding to continue the search while Persephone remained behind. “Seeing as how their union served as a proxy for peace, I can only imagine what flourished because of it.” As Persephone read through the log on display, Lotor slightly smiled at her statement. “The union between my parents sparked a technological revolution within the empire. Even before, my mother’s Altean culture was remarkably advanced.” As the two of them read through the logs, Persephone could see where a different tone took place in Honerva’s writings, where she began to morph into the shell of herself, Haggar. Allura came back from her search, as Lotor ran through his assessment. “Her reason and intellect are gone, replaced by fear and paranoia.” Persephone could see the same calculation running across Allura’s face as she spoke of her implication. “Lotor, have you considered, that…, what if Honerva became corrupted as Zarkon did?” Not wanting to hear what she had to say next, Lotor snipped back in a quick tone. “That witch is not my mother.” Persephone flinched at his statement, taking note not to bring up such a testy subject. Growing a bit frustrated, Lotor scanned through a few shelves before turning back to Allura. “Perhaps we’re not using all the tools here at our disposal. Try and close your eyes, and let yourself feel the energy around you.” Remembering how the log reacted to her earlier, Persephone decided to see if this newfound skill would benefit her again. She turned away from both Lotor and Allura, closed her eyes, and let herself feel any force that would call out to her. As soon as she did, she noticed a pull in her soul coming from a close source. She slightly opened her right eye as she noticed a small device in a box on one of the shelves near them. So, that’s where the pull was coming from. As much as it confused, and somewhat scared her, Persephone rather let Allura take charge for this one. It wasn’t long till Allura sensed the same and retrieved it from its restraints.

In his eagerness and excitement, Lotor realized where he had seen this relic before. He clicked a button on his wrist devices, revealing a small screen that displayed ruins of some location. He revealed that he had seen this before, something he called a “compass stone”, that pointed direction towards a realm called Oriande. Allura seemed to brush it off as a folk tale, yet Lotor’s obvious eagerness displayed his determination to at least let the stone work or find a way to prove his research right. Allura tried concentrating on it for a few moments, but huffed in frustration. “Oh this isn’t working.” Lotor gently clasped his hand over hers, offering any encouragement he could muster. “My father had an ability that few Alteans possessed. Coran doesn’t have it, Honerva didn’t have it.” Sadly turning away, Allura doubted her ability to contain this skill. Persephone could see Lotor wasn’t one to give up so suddenly, but Allura didn’t want to press forward, a lone tear trailing down her face at the loss of such a rich tradition. Persephone could see that now wasn’t a good time to press further, as she offered a side embrace to her respected colleague and reached to try and take away the source of Allura’s pain. As her fingers brushed over the compass stone, Persephone could see it was starting to react the same way as the other devices had earlier. Thankfully Allura didn’t notice how it reacted, given her genuinely surprised expression as the map to Oriadne sprang to life and illuminated the lab. All three individuals were amazed at the sight, with Lotor looking more enthused than the two women. “Allura…you’ve done it.” Lotor, Allura, and Persephone looked at the map in amazement. Their search wasn’t in vain and soon they might be able to locate this land. Find Oriadne, find the secrets for Altean alchemy to achieve peace.

Aside from their success, Shiro and Coran struck success as well with the record room in synchronizing all data from the Galra headquarters to Voltron’s. Lance, Hunk, and Pidge seemed to be the source of rambunctious activities with the other Galra sentries who kept them entertained. Oh, the stories they would have for the rest of the team! Meanwhile, Keith came face to face with a long denied truth he always yearned and searched for: his mother, Krolia. It wasn’t the most ideal of reunions, but Keith took relief in knowing he had another parent in this universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! this one was a doozy! So, that was quite the mystery. What's going with Perse that the team doesn't know about? Hhhmmm....we shall see, or rather the White Lion is going to reveal more on the truth of Persephone's origins (and then Perse is gonna have a long talk with the team about it too.) 
> 
> Let me know what you think!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now it's starting to get interesting! Plus, the White Lion by the end of this chapter is a bit of a snitch (LOL!)

Within the next few days, Voltron and Emperor Lotor reconvened back at the Castle of the Lions. With the new discovery of Oriadne and the possibility of finding a key source for Altean alchemy, no time was to be wasted. Coordinates were entered in, directions and maps calibrated, and all were off in search of this mythical land. During the start of their journey, Pidge couldn’t help but be curious at the discovery from the lab. “So this magic rock is gonna guide us to a mysterious planet?” “A land known as Oriadne”, Lotor declared with proud confidence. Coran still found the idea of a children’s bed time story being real a bit laughable, but Persephone would counter otherwise. She knew she wasn’t one to judge, given that her old life was now labeled as “mythology” by the humans she swore to protect. “I thought so too, Coran until I saw what happened in the lab with Allura and Lotor. I feel it’s very quite real. Also, this wouldn’t be the first time we thought something was impossible.” Yet, Coran, with the addition of Lance, felt that this mission seemed a bit suspicious, given how sudden the discovery was. However, Lotor remained steadfast in his findings and was confident they could find the source of this power to help Allura, while also gaining access to power to help his father’s people. Persephone could feel the excitement bubbling inside of her. _He’s so confident in his abilities, that I want to see him succeed. A way of much needed peace, for him, for Allura, for all of us._ If she was allowed in, Persephone entertained the thought of gazing upon an ancient mythical land. Maybe it was the sentiment of her old life, but she also felt that there could be a kinship shared with Oriadne.

They pulled up the map to track their progress to Oriadne. “That’s where we’re heading. There, between those three celestial bodies.” Coran’s eyes widened as he seemed to recognize where that location was. “Wait a tick, that’s the Patrulian Zone, a mysterious part of space where ships enter and are never heard from again.” _If there is some version of Scylla and Charybdis in this universe, I swear to the gods—._ Now he grew majorly concerned. “Princess, that area has been deemed unsafe to navigate for ages.” Allura seemed concerned, yet was undeterred in her mission. “We will proceed with caution.” The farther they traveled, the darker space seemed to be getting, if that was even possible. As they were drawing closer, they approached what appeared to be an asteroid belt. Upon further inspection, it dawned on everybody that it wasn’t rock, but remnants of ships destroyed long ago. The eeriness of the situation left an unsettling feeling, as if something was lurking behind all this. Persephone recalled how Odysseus himself maneuvered through the sea, past the sirens that lured those to their death. _Is this what he felt? Is this what is looked like?_ Examining the logistics from her placement, Pidge seemed to have figured out what the cause was. “I think we just found out what happened.” Up ahead, everyone was surprised at what appeared to be a massive fluke, pure white as snow, that seemed to be sucking in the past remnants of ships. Lance had never seen anything like this before. “What is that, some sort of black hole?” Pidge shook her head. “No. Unbelievable! It’s a white hole!” The Castle pushed on, heading farther towards the unknown. The closer they got to it, the more the radiation began to affect the readings of the ship. Yet, Lotor remained unfazed by all this. Persephone could hear his murmuring of some sort of chant. “ _The wise stand back from the fire, fools are burned on the pyre. The mystic becomes one with the flame, the embers and he are the same.”_ “Is that some element to the myth we missed?” Lotor quickly threw a small smirk in her direction before addressing the rest of the crew. “It’s a poem by an ancient Altean alchemist. I discovered it cared next to a cave painting of a fiery sphere. I never realized until now that it describes the route to Oriadne. We must go into the white hole.” Now, this seemed to set off the alarm bells in the other paladins’ minds, but Allura was determined to enter in, even if they had to wormhole inside.

Coran couldn’t help but protest at the idea, now convinced that this would be a suicide mission for all of them but Allura’s reasoning seemed sound: if this place housed Altean alchemy, the Castle and Voltron shouldn’t be affected considering they were brought into existence that way. Then it was decided: a wormhole inside was the best route. The closest the ship could reach was at the edge of the white hole, without taking the risk of being affected by the excessive radiation. Not wasting any seconds, the paladins and Persephone rushed to their respective Lions and one-man fighter craft to wormhole through. As soon as Voltron was formed, the wormhole appeared and they flew into the bright light. Right as they entered in, the team felt immediate resistance and pushback from the all encompassing sources around him. Shiro managed to growl out orders, fighting the pushback. “We’re being blasted backward! Full power to thrusters! Perse, you ok over there?” “Don’t worry about me Shiro! I can manage.” Slowly but surely, they inched towards the white portal farther up ahead until the strangest sight met them: the face of a white lion. It let out a ferocious roar, and with it, beams of light that were aimed at Persephone’s fighter and Voltron. Their firepower proved futile as the lion released another roar of light that struck them directly. On the other side of the light hole, Coran helplessly listened in shock at their piercing screams. Lotor could hear Persephone’s shrieks as well, sending shivers up his spine and forming a pit in his gut. He was about to call off the mission until Coran pointed out glowing marks on his face. On instinct, Lotor stroked his cheek until he realized what this meant. As soon as he realized, he instructed the paladins to leave immediately. “That thing is a guardian! It will only allow worthy Alteans through!” As a last warning shot, the white lion released another beam of light that struck the Castle, causing them to lose power. The aftershock of the light also caused the lions to break apart. Persephone could see that they were limited in their resources, but she needed to assist her friends as well. “Guys, listen. I still have power on my jet. If you’re able to get out of your lions and utilize your jetpacks, I can push the lions together and keep my jet parked in place against the Castle, so that they don’t fly away. Lance seemed impressed at her suggestion. “Oooh, look at you Perse. Coming through with the good ideas, as always!”

After the lions were collected together, they made their way inside the Castle to where Coran and Lotor were located. It seemed to be a grim assessment. “If we don’t get this Castle running soon, we’ll be out of air.” Lance couldn’t help but feel annoyed, given all that happened. “Maybe we can decrease our breathers by one.” No one seemed to take the quip, more interested in why marks on Lotor’s cheeks were glowing. They were a brightened lavender color that seemed to match his skin tone, shaped like bolts of lightning. As she was starting to notice his cheek marks, Persephone started to feel a bit of a tingling feeling as well on her skin. Lifting up the red fabric of her flight suit, Persephone could see markings on her wrist, leading up to her arm. The markings she carried with her as a child. _No, not now. Not now! Damn it all! Is this why CERTAIN things have reacted to me the way they have before?_ Slowly backing away towards the back of the group, Persephone also felt the tingling spreading to her neck as well. She had to get out of here, and fast! While Lotor and Allura were amazed at their markings, the Marks of the Chosen they were called, Persephone felt the tingling sensation all over her body by this point. She didn’t need to check, it was already obvious that they were all over her body by now. Noticing her not so subtle movements, Shiro called out to Persephone as she was backing away. “Perse, where are you going?” Yet, as she acknowledged him, he noticed a slight glow around her neck area. It caught Coran’s attention as well, as he saw her neck and then noticed the faint glow on the leg area of her suit as well. “Persephone, what’s going on with you? Why are you glowing like Allura and Lotor are? But why does it look like your whole body?” At that acknowledgement, all eyes were finally turned towards her. Allura seemed the most surprised and shocked at Persephone’s situation. “Wait, Persephone, what is that on your neck and arm?” Knowing she could no longer deny them the truth, Persephone started to roll up the arm and leg area of her suit.

“I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to tell you, but you all deserved to know in time.” Persephone’s markings weren’t Altean, but that of handprints, meshed together in unison all over her body. Each hand imprint glowing a bright ferocity as Lotor and Allura’s markings were. The rest of the team and Lotor were speechless, as Allura gasped at the revelation. “You – you’re Altean? How? I’ve never seen those types of markings before.” “I’m not Altean, but I’m not fully human either. These markings aren’t glowing solely due to the White Lion.” The room had gone silent by that point, that even a speck of dust falling would make too loud a noise. Seeing her markings glowing, hearing that she was not “fully human”, everyone started to look at her differently. Persephone couldn’t read the expressions on their faces, but it unsettled her how they were looking at her now. “I haven’t been completely honest with you all about what my background was, but I will tell you now, story and all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How about that ending huh? Suspenseful! 
> 
> Don't worry, they won't be afraid of her, just completely and utterly surprised! Next chapter will be more Lotor bonding since everyone now knows her origins! Let me know what you think.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! Persephone's origin story, but in more detail than the Prologue. And more Lotor bonding! and White Lion makes its assessment of Lotor, Allura, and Perse!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to start off with a flashback to show more in detail the extent of Persephone's lineage, and what she's capable of.

“ _Persephone, please! It is time for your bed!”, Artemisia had sighed in exasperation. Here she was, the Queen of the Amazons, reduced to chasing around a rambunctious seven-year old. Persephone’s giggles filled the castle as she tried outrun her mother. “But, Mother, I’m not tired yet! I’m still having too much fun!” Artemisia wiped her hand across her face in frustration. “If you have anymore fun, you will run off another tutor for your lessons like you did the last two.” At that, Artemisia could hear giggles behind one of the pillars, as she quickly snatched up her daughter. Soon the palace halls were filled with the shrieks of laughter of a child and the low chuckles of a mother. “But, mother, I only wanted to see you and everyone train! When will it be my turn?!” “In due time, my little star. Soon, you will be able to train with the fiercest of our warriors.” As Artemisia took her daughter back to her bed chamber, Persephone dramatically sprawled herself in her mother’s arms. “Oh, but the stars still twinkle. The sky’s awake, so I’m awake, so I have to play!” Artemisia laughed at her daughter’s antics. “You’ll be able to play tomorrow, sweet one.”_

_When they returned, Artemisia had set her daughter back down in her bed for the night. As she turned to leave, she heard the enthused voice of her daughter. “Wait! Mother, could you tell me story? So that I might sleep?” “And what story would that be, my love?” Persephone only grinned in anticipation. “My favorite one, the story of how I was born.” “Alright, but after this, you go to bed. No more antics, my child.” Persephone responded with an enthused nod, as Artemisia began her tale. “I had always longed for a child. After my days of war, I wanted a life that was a bit settled down, and I wanted to pass on my legacy to another. I had prayed to the gods countless times, asking them to help me in conceiving a child. One night, when Cancer was in its prime in the stars, my prayers were finally answered. I was led by the goddess Hecate to the shores of our island. There, I was greeted with a rare sight that not all could ever witness: the entire Pantheon had been waiting for me, and all the other minor deities as well. They wanted to bestow my gift unto me. I began to carve you from the sand on the beach, a gift from the Mother Gaia, and I gave you a drop of my blood from the prick on my finger. Soon, the Olympians and the other gods came forward and each of them placed their hands on your form. They gave you their blessings and abilities that would bless you in life. As his gift, Hades provided two glowing orbs. He told me that these will become part of your whole soul, and that they will guide you when you need them the most. As I lifted you to the heavens, Zeus summoned lightning that struck true. You took your first breath as your newborn cries echoed across the island. They always told me that you were a part of the universe, part of the primordials, and part of the Pantheon. A daughter of a mortal, a daughter of the gods, and a granddaughter to the Titans and their kin. Yet, when I look at you, I see so much love and emotions that could be only human, and I have been so grateful to have you as a gift in my life.”_

_At the end of her story, Artemisia realized that it had gone quiet. She looked down at Persephone’s sleeping form, a small smile etched across her face. Artemisia leaned down and pressed a kiss to her daughter’s temple. “Sleep well, my little sun and stars.”_

After Persephone finished her tale in the best possible way, she could’ve sworn that if Team Voltron’s eyes bulged anymore, they would pop out of their heads. She tried to offer a bit more of an explanation to try and ease the tensions. “That’s why these ‘markings’ reacted to the White Lion, and why past attacks from quintessence and the Witch didn’t affect me, because my bloodline comes from those who created and are literally a part of the universe.” At that, Persephone was flooded with a torrent of questions, from all parties including Lotor.

“What?!”

“Are you kidding me?!”

“How is that possible?”

“How old are you?!”

“When were you going to tell us?”

“Are these related to the Galra? Alteans?!”

Y _ep, this was pretty much to be expected._ “I know that I shouldn’t have kept this from you for so long, but I didn’t know how else to break it to you. I cannot just blurt something like this out!” The questions stopped, but Persephone was met with a few disheartened glares. “I assure you, all of you. Once we figure out a way in and out of Oriadne, I will explain everything and more to you.” At least Lotor looked upon her with curiosity and fascination. A living goddess? Assisting Voltron with their mission? He didn’t need anymore convincing of how this was fated to be. Amidst his confusion, Hunk realized they were still in a powerless castle and realized that Persephone was right. “Guys, we’re still stuck out here in the middle of nowhere, and don’t have any other option. What do we do now?” It was decided by that point. “Persephone, Allura, and I need to enter the white hole alone.” There were more protests, as if there wasn’t enough stress added on already. Coran protested, but Lotor reassured him that the White Lion spirit only kept out those deemed unworthy. Allura suggested using the personal crafts as a means of transport, but Coran couldn’t bear the thought of her being harmed. “Coran, I must gain some kind of alchemic knowledge in Oriadne, both to save our lives and bring peace to the universe.” Persephone tried to reassure Coran as well. “I’ll be with her, Coran. I won’t let anything happen to her.” Coran didn’t seem entirely convinced just yet, especially given Persephone’s revelation from earlier. It hurt her deep aside, but she wanted to see this through. Allura seemed just as hesitant as Coran was. “Oh, I’m afraid there’s only two crafts.” It took less than a nanosecond for Lotor to speak up. “She can ride with me. We can’t deny this guardian any of those who might be chosen.” It was settled then.

It wasn’t long till the three of them were en route to Oriadne. Allura on her transport, and Lotor and Persephone on the other. Despite their travelling to a land where anything could happen, the thought wasn’t lost on Persephone that she was more attached to Lotor than before, literally. First, they are remnants of past civilizations, then they are chosen by a guardian spirit, and now here she was with her arms wrapped around his broad shoulders to confront what lay ahead. She held her breath as they entered the white hole, but then felt the breath fly out of her as she took in the sights of Oriadne. A magical place, with pink skies, and floating structures that looked like crystals with intricate designs and symbols as their decor. It was like no other beauty she had ever seen before. Allura was equally amazed by the land as well. They decided to park their transports near the base of some type of mountain. With no other options left, all three decided to scale the mountain. Allura was driven by her father’s legacy and determination to carry it on. “I wonder if Father climbed this mountain.” Persephone couldn’t help but agree, and a small part of her wanted to patch things up with her friend. “I hope he did so as well Allura. Just think, him starting this legacy, in the very place my people may have created as well. It’s as if it was supposed to always happen.” Allura offered her a small smile in return. Lotor was still curious about Persephone and her origins. All of his knowledge in the universe, and he never heard of her people or what her culture was. “You know, I always envied what it would be like to grow up with King Alfor. I always wanted to be an explorer and learn about the universe. My father was only interested in conquering it.” Persephone turned behind her to acknowledge him. “He put me in charge of a planet for a year, running the quintessence mining and getting to know the local population.” As Lotor continued his story, the three of them had finally reached the top of the mountain. “Rather than employ the usual Galran methods of subjugation, I worked alongside the leadership of the planet, learning their customs. We would only extract as much quintessence as could be replenished. And I rather enjoyed my time there quite a bit.” It was a compelling story, but why did every story with Zarkon leave behind some sort of dread. “When my father found out what was happening, he ordered me to destroy the planet. I refused, and he sent me away. He destroyed them.” Persephone gasped at his revelation, and wanted to offer some words of support. “At least you bravely stood up for those innocents. I’m glad you’re here with us now, to set history right.” He was touched by her words, and gave her a gentle smile. The sentiment wasn’t lost on Persephone as she gave him one in return as well.

From the peak of the mountain, they could see a castle-like structure farther up ahead. That was their destination! Once they approached the castle, the White Lion spirit greeted them at the entrance. Its only command was a growl before it turned back inside to the castle, as if telling them to follow it. Soon, they walked into a vast area that looked like a temple, The Temple of the Alchemists, Lotor had called it. Every now and then the White Lion would appear to guide them further into the structure. As they passed by the massive statues that depicted the first Alteans who discovered the skills of alchemy, the Life Givers. Suddenly, the statues became alive as they took their spears to attack the trio. Ducking and dodging the attacks, Allura held the compass stone up to the Life Giver that was about to drive its spear into their bodies. As Allura acknowledged it, the Life Giver hesitated its attack as it decided to lead them to a room. Inside the room, the White Lion was waiting for them near something that appeared to be a type of teleduv that was similar to that from the Castle. As they entered, the walls began to shake and looked like they were beginning to close in on them. Persephone tried to think of a quick plan. “Allura, here! I think this is what’s similar to the Castle! If you concentrate your powers on this, it might be able to save us.” The three of them raced over. Allura concentrated all her efforts forward, and soon they were engulfed in a white light.

When he awoke, Lotor found himself face to face with the lion. It charged at him with a snarl, and lept towards him. It knocked Lotor to the ground, but it was met with resistance. Lotor fought with all his strength, never yielding or surrendering to this guardian. Disappointed at his reaction, the White Lion flung him across the plane. Lotor quickly recovered, summoning his sword with his war cry of “Victory or Death!” The White Lion lept at him again, only for Lotor to strike it down. Soon, the white sky ran red as Lotor looked around in confusion at what he had done. A deep booming voice addressed him. “Lotor, son of Zarkon and Honerva, you have displayed your true power and actions in your test. You will be granted these powers, but at the cost of paying the ultimate price. A sword shall pierce your heart.” It shook him to his core, and soon Lotor found himself transported back outside the temple. He sunk down to his knees in fear and relief. What was destiny planning for him? Allura had fared a bit better than Lotor had with the White Lion. She tried to reason with the spirit, acknowledging its power and respect, but dodging its attacks as well. Seeing as it her efforts were proving futile to placate the restless guardian, Allura knelt down before it as it was charging towards her. “I give my own life.” The lion lept and appeared to dissolve inside of her. Next thing she knew, Allura was engulfed in light as she heard a female voice soothe her concerns. “You have returned to the realm of your ancestors, the Alteans and the Life Givers who came before. Rise, let us embrace you.” Allura held her arms open as she felt a warmth engulf her. Soon, she found herself outside the temple as well. When she noticed that just Lotor stood outside, she grew concerned. “Where’s Persephone?” “I thought she was with you.” Both turned back to face the temple in horror.

In all her 6000 years, Persephone thought she had seen it all. Yet, here she was face-to-face against an ancient spirit that was determined to fight her. She had fought wild beasts before, but there was always a first for everything. Any punch she threw or any escape move she enacted, Persephone could see that this spirit grew tired of her toying with it. An idea came to mind as she saw the creature charging her again. It lept quickly, but Persephone was quicker. Soon, she trapped its head between her arms, capturing it in a hold. It began to struggle until Persephone trapped its lower half in a hold with her legs as well. “Submit! Why did you call me here?!” At her exclamation, the lion stopped its squirming and let out a soft noise, signifying its willingness to communicate. As she slowly released it from her hold, the lion came face to face with Persephone’s knelt figure. It pressed its forehead to hers and let out gentle purrs. Soon, Persephone found herself engulfed in a white light. Around her she saw what looked like her old home, the Aegean Sea, and the cities in the north, until she heard a loud voice address her. “Persephone, daughter of the Ancients, you have proven strong and true in your efforts. Your life has been dedicated to fighting just wars, peace, and to save others. Though you are not of us, we bless you and guide you in your journey. Your ancestors are fiercely proud!” Maybe it was the intensity of the situation, but Persephone felt tears of joy leaving her eyes. As she looked around her, she noticed two figures approaching her. One was a lady who looked like a humanoid hybrid of a butterfly and a praying mantis, with green skin; and the other one was a shorter woman with brown hair and dressed in animal furs. “Wh—who are you?” The two women smiled at her, with the humanoid woman speaking first. “My name is Ven’tar.” “And I am called Ra’va.” These names sounded so familiar, yet so distant. Ven’tar continued to speak to Persephone. “We have been a part of you, a part of your soul, from the beginning. We are here to guide you, should you ever feel the need to reach out when you feel as if all hope is lost. Hope is never lost.” Ra’va followed as well. “Your family is proud of you, Persephone, as we are. You have grown so much, but now is the time to remember all that we have taught you.” She was at a loss for her words. The only thing Persephone could manage was pulling these two women into a hug. Soon, a bright flash engulfed her as well as Persephone found herself outside the temple. She walked out of that temple a different person, as Allura and Lotor noticing a more confident stride in her step, head held high.

After Persephone made her exit from the temple, she and Allura both realized that they needed to return to the Castle as soon as possible. They only hoped they wouldn’t be too late. As they returned, it seemed they had arrived in the nick of time, given that oxygen levels were fatally low for the other paladins. Allura was able to restore power to the Castle, saving the rest of Voltron. Lance took gulps of air before acknowledging Allura. “We should’ve never doubted you.” Allura offered a gracious smile to both Lotor and Persephone. “I couldn’t have done it without Lotor and Persephone here.” Lotor politely accepted her praise. “You are a true Altean alchemist. Oriadne was for you.” Persephone gently placed her hand on Lotor’s shoulder. “Oriadne was for all of us. We won’t let the universe down.” Lotor gave her an appreciative smile, or perhaps to the rest of Voltron, maybe a bit too appreciative. As Voltron chatted excitedly about what took place in Oriadne and the next course of action, little did they know that the witch had her ways to keep eyes on them. Upon discovering Allura and Lotor’s powers, and the entire revelation with Persephone, her face contorted into a twisted grin as she set a course for the mythical land itself. It was time for a new plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How about that, huh?  
> Perse is also a reincarnation, Lotor has powers, and the stage is set for what's next to come. The next couple of chapters I have planned next are personally some of my favorite. More bonding, the fluff, bit of humor, and SMUT!!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's some Lotor angst a bit. I apologize for any heartache after reading this chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically in this chapter, Lotor reflects on his journey this far and gets that cathartic release he so deserved!

After they had returned from Oriadne, the team was more relieved than upset that Allura and Persephone had returned back safely. Amidst the clamoring for what had gone on in the mythical land, Persephone spoke up to at least get a sense of peace. “Okay, okay! Everyone, calm down. We will discuss what happened on our journey, but first at least let us get out of our suits. I’m sure you want to as well.” Hunk grew excited as he rapidly spoke his new idea. “Oh I just came up with a plan! We’re totally having a celebratory dinner tonight!” At that he turned towards Persephone with a mischievous grin. “And you! You are going to tell us about you! Now that I’ve calmed down a bit, I think it’s cool you’re a goddess. Wait, goddess, half-goddess? Which is it?” Persephone chuckled at his enthusiasm as she held up her arms in faux defeat. “Alright, alright, but I hope all of you are ready for a long night.” At that she turned towards Lotor with an inviting smile. “Lotor, won’t you join us? We couldn’t have found this place or gotten this far without you.” He appreciated the gesture, and felt it would be rude to decline it. “Of course. I appreciate the invitation.” Lance only snickered in the background. “Man, Keith is so gonna flip when he hears about this!” The entire group broke off to their respective rooms to freshen up for the evening, with Lotor heading off to the spare room that had now become his whenever he met with Team Voltron. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was at least flattered by Persephone’s invitation. He felt that the rest of Voltron hadn’t come to fully trust him just yet, but they were about to dine together, so what’s the worse that could happen?

As he was preparing for the evening in his room, he felt compelled to at least try and see what the extent of his newly granted powers were. He hadn’t forgotten what the voice had told him in Oriadne, as it still rang in his mind. The more he though about it, the more it started to fill him with dread. All his life, he always felt he had to prove himself twice as harder than any other Galra in his father’s empire. And now, he had defeated his father, taken the Empire’s throne, and was granted access to the land that was a foundation of his Altean heritage and his mother’s legacy. Yet, it came with a price, as everything did in his life. Will there ever be a time in his life where he could have something, anything, without it coming at a cost? Was he so cursed in his life that the slightest joy in life would be reckoned as a sacrifice? He stared into his mirror, taking in every detail of himself. He looked so much like his father, with the sharp claws and the piercing gold eyes that expressed every emotion he felt tenfold. Then, he could also see the features of his mother. The high Altean cheekbones, smoother features here and there, and his distinguished ears. Even though he saw his maternal lineage as a strength, it was the source of constant ridicule and resentment from every corner of the universe. To the Galra, he was too Altean and weak for them. To the civilizations across the galaxy, he worse the colors of the enemy. Mulling over this, he had focused his efforts to seeing what he was capable of. The longer he stared in the mirror, he soon saw how his lavender skin had changed to a warm tan, brown color. He lifted a tentative hand to his cheek to gently stroke the Altean marks, more visible than ever. At that, he decided to let his walls down.

Lotor was grateful that he was by himself in the room. He didn’t notice his tears had started to flow like a river down his face. Seeing this, how he had his abilities as his mother did, looking like she did, it became too much for him. Every emotion that he ever felt in his 10,000 year life span came crashing down all at once. It shook him in his soul, seeing as he couldn’t remember the last time he had cried this intensely. He was never one to cry loudly, but he let himself release a few hiccupped sobs. As he looked at his reflection in the mirror again, he saw how much he looked like an Altean, like a human. He wanted to share that kinship of heritage with Allura and Coran as well, seeing as how they were of the same people, yet he knew that his Galra heritage would be an unspoken barrier. For some reason, his thoughts turned to Persephone. He remembered her kindness, how she and Shiro had been more than willing to help him reach his goals, and how she never treated him differently. Everything felt so different with her, he could talk to her freely, she saved his life, and here she was sharing a magical legacy with him as well. That’s where his thoughts started to turn to self-pitying. He was not afraid to admit to himself that he was becoming drawn to her, with her kind smile and eyes that were never short of expressing how she truly felt. Yet, he felt that he was undeserving of her, of her attention, or her companionship, of her love?

No, not love. Lotor had fallen in love before and because of who he was, he lost the one he loved the most. He didn’t want to risk that again, but his heart had yearned for so long. When he was around Persephone, he could feel that budding yearning rear its head again. But could a goddess love him, or even look upon him with such approval? Lotor knew he had done things in his life that he wasn’t proud of to reach his goals, but a small part of him wanted hope. Wanted that hope and reassurance that even a deity looked at him with approval and acceptance. Even though the Life Givers had granted his Altean alchemy skills, it would appear that it was conditional. Was that how would it be with Persephone? Temporary and conditional, before anything would come to fruition? His sobs had stopped but he let the tears continue to flow from his creased eyes. Wallowing in his catharsis, his stomach dropped and his heart began to beat frantically as he heard a soft voice coming from behind him. “Lotor?” He saw in the mirror’s reflection Persephone standing in the doorway, dressed in a type of tan sweater with boots and blue pants he was unfamiliar with. _Damn._

Persephone had been making her way towards the dining area until she heard a soft sound coming from Lotor’s room. As she got closer to the ajar door to Lotor’s room her steps slowed, she heard what sounded like him crying. “Lotor?”, she asked in a concerned voice as she opened the door more. He reacted like a deer in headlights, as he looked at her in the mirror. “Are you alright?”. His face betrayed a myriad of emotions, but he turned away from her, covering his face. “I apologize for this. It’s – it’s a bit unbecoming of an Emperor to cry like a child.” Now, he began to tense up as he heard her footsteps slowly approaching him. “There is nothing wrong with showing emotion, Lotor. You’ve been through so much. I can’t imagine what you could be feeling.” He slowly turned back to her, and saw her eyes widen at she took in his morphed features. In his vulnerability, it stung his heart as he saw her expression. _Perhaps she thinks of me as unsightly. It would not be the first time._ What Persephone did next though was not what he expected. She got closer to where he was standing, and carefully lifted her hand to touch him, fingers gently grazing over his skin and his marks. “You look so much like my people did. You’re beautiful.” _Human? God? I look like something familiar to her._ He let his tears fall again as she cupped his cheek. “Am I enough? Am I enough for this, for everything, for you?” He didn’t care anymore. “Of course you’re enough, Lotor. Your actions speak louder than any words, and your actions have shown me that you have a good heart within you, to seek what is right and to do what is ultimately best.” He didn’t know what compelled him, but he grabbed Persephone into a tight embrace. Maybe it was her reassurance, or maybe it was his way of finally clinging to someone who didn’t turn him away, but he held on tight and savored the acceptance he had been denied so long. He could feel her arms circle around him as best as she could, gripping his shoulders and gently rubbing and patting with a comforting touch.

They slowly separated from their embrace, and Persephone lifted her hands to wipe away his tears. “If you need to talk, you always can. It’s beneficial to let these feelings out.” Deep down, Lotor felt a warm, comforting feeling as he gave her a small smile. He appreciated her concerns. Though his demons still taunted him every now and then, at least he knew that a goddess didn’t look at him with disgust or indifference. She took his hand as they began to leave the room. “Come, have dinner with us. Hunk prepared some really special dishes for the night I guarantee you’ll enjoy.” The dinner table had a sense of familiarity Lotor was used to, comrades feasting together. But, could he call them his friends? He wanted to, and felt that the more they worked together, they could. Laughter filled the air along with the strong scents of mouth-watering dishes. Pidge had been chattering excitedly as Persephone went into detail about the different aspects of her life. “So, wait, every creature or person that existed in Greek mythology, they’re real?” Persephone took a drink from her glass before answering. “Pretty much. I fought some of them before, or during truces, were invited to their parties. You can never turn down fine wine.” Allura and Coran seemed the most curious as well. “You came from a war-faring race of all women, and were taught philosophy and the sciences too?” “We believed that it was key to forming a well-rounded society, to preserve our culture and realize there was more than just war.” Then came Lance’s turn. “Wait, so does that mean Disney’s Hercules is true too?” Persephone let out a type of snort-laugh before answering. “Let’s just say that had some _liberties_ taken, but at least other humans became interested in the myths. Best you let me lend you my old scrolls and texts.” Hunk took his chance after Lance. “Does that also mean you’re related to other demigods as well?” Persephone nodded. “It would be safe to assume that almost every other demigod, mortal, immortal, and creature are related in some shape or form. Probably for the best we weren’t in the same room.” Laughs echoed around the table as the revelries continued into the night, although Lotor had other things on his mind. He would glance in Persephone’s direction, hoping to get her attention, and every time she did they exchanged a knowing smile to each other. He faced many challenges in life, but Lotor started to realize he wanted this life. A life of content, a life of peace, and most likely, a life where Persephone was in it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This post inspired me a bit for this chapter. 
> 
> https://tricodeku.tumblr.com/post/172843617066/inspired-by-this-post-by-strawberrylovely-there


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally the smut has arrived! By this chapter, Persephone and Lotor's connection is finally solidified!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy the smut! There's actually going to be more to come! :D

It had been a bad day for him. Parts of the Galra empire had been struck by Sendak and Lotor’s frustration only grew with incoming reports. He had set up a meeting with Voltron to try and quell these attacks, but it ended at a stalemate. Not one to give up, he decided to stay for a couple of days at the Castle to at least work out a plan that would prove beneficial. Despite all that, his mentality felt a bit defeated and he didn’t want to be bothered for the rest of day. When Lotor was angry, Persephone knew it was not that hard to tell. Even when he tried his best to quell the anger that bubbled inside him, there are more than enough tells in how he holds himself, and Persephone had become familiar enough with the man to see him plainly. After doing some reconnaissance for the day, Persephone had changed out of her flight suit in a much needed respite from her exhaustive efforts. She knew that Lotor had been acting differently throughout the day. Taking that into consideration, and the fact that he still felt sensitive about Oriadne, she wanted to check up on him. The twitch in the corner of his mouth when he tried to comfort her worries was a concern. “I’m fine, dear--we are making more progress than I could have ever hoped for, and you and Allura deserved to be chosen. Me, well, my powers will come with limitations, apparently.” He tried to quell his anger and frustration with a bitter laugh. The words sounded honest to Persephone, but his feelings were muddled with anger. The tension found place in him for days. It seemed to eat at him, however much he tried to hide it away.

When she returned, Persephone found him in the training deck, sharing blows with one of the bots that the paladins had trained with on previous occasions. Though Persephone could have easily glanced over to the control module to see the level he had it set to, the furious exchange of strikes, flourished blades and acrobatics was enough to hint that it was high enough that she became worried for him. He fought less like he normally did. Where Lotor was normally graceful, polished in his movement and techniques, the man Persephone was observing was hard, harsh, stifled with a raging anger. He tore at the training bot, but he seemed equal or outmatched turn for turn, eventually getting thrown to the floor so many times that the simulator finally auto-ceased the program. Lotor let out a curse, his fist falling hard onto the floor. The air echoed the sound, hard, painful--it was only then that Persephone let herself into the training deck itself, concern now inescapable from her thoughts as she watched the prince hit the ground and curse again. When the silence was filled with the sound of her footsteps, Lotor’s face shot up in surprise. “W-what are you doing in here, Persephone?” He moved to stand, a little too quickly to be a casual or calm motion. He nearly tripped walking towards her, his eyes still slightly wide in surprise and his hands, the ones that had been hitting the metal floor and trying to kill the training bot, now held up in a motion that looked almost gentle and....distancing? It was almost as if he was, unconsciously or not, trying to motion for Persephone to stay back, away from him. Nevertheless, Persephone stepped towards him, her eyes never leaving his face, never breaking contact. “I was worried about you,” Persephone said softly, reaching out her hands to close the final few feet of distance between them. She noted silently to herself the way that he began to step back before her fingers contacted with his arm.

“You just bolted away so quickly, after the meeting today. You just disappeared. Is there anything I can do to help?” The words themselves sounded harsh, but only from the concern behind them. The Emperor was a bit of an enigma, a mystery yet untouched in his own right, though that was mostly due to a combination of being in a friendship with him for a short time and neither him nor Persephone had been taking the time to speak deeply about personal topics, let alone their growing feelings. If anything, Lotor seemed to often avoid her after their return from Oriadne and seemed somewhat distant after their dinner party. Yet, he was bothered by _something,_ and Persephone needed to know what it was. “I just needed time to myself,” Lotor says, his eyes shifting but body nonetheless relaxing beneath Persephone’s fingers. “To mull over issues that are my own to bare.” “Lotor, we’ve mentioned this before. You say that as if isolating yourself is the only way to deal with whatever’s bothering you. It’s not the healthiest way to keep these emotions cooped up. Lotor, we’re a team now. All of us. There’s no reason to hide away what’s hurting you, from us, and from me.” The last comment made his heart skip a beat. Lotor finally looks at Persephone again, his lips pressed into a firm line and expression unreadable. “You act as if you have the right to tell me how to deal with my own issues! You are not entitled to tell me what to feel, and how to feel it!” “I say this because I care!” Persephone’s voice rose a little, fingers gripping his arm again, trying to get him to see her side of things, the fact that he could work _with_ them instead of trying to shove them away. “We all want peace right? For all of our people, Galran, Altean, human? I don’t know what’s hurting you, but with the paladins, me, Coran, and Allura, we can--”. “Allura is a chosen ruler of her people! You are a chosen sub-deity, which you purposefully withheld, who is favored upon! Me? I’m the half breed who was only granted powers just to serve as a purpose, and not as a leader!” Lotor’s sharp words cut Persephone off, his voice loud and his body so tensed. He jerks away from her hold and almost seems to bare the fangs in his mouth--the fury in his eyes mirrors what Persephone saw minutes before in battle. “The two of you are worthy of the power wielded! The paladins, the lions, your gods, the--”.

He cuts himself off abruptly, bringing a hand up to his face and grimacing behind it. He looks so tensed, so pained, Persephone felt both fear and concern welling up in her mind for him. She was afraid to try and touch him again though, and the prince turns to take a few steps away from Persephone, towards the center of the training deck. His steps against the steel floor are the only noise that echoes in the vast, empty chamber, the training robot defeated, but still standing with its weapon tightly in-hand. It reminded Persephone faintly of the statues that man created to capture their appreciation for her people and deities, unmoving yet carrying a noble and dignified air around them. Lotor looked at the robot, his features faintly reflecting in the visor. From what Persephone can see of his reflection, his expression is cold. “...I am not angry at you and Allura for what you have, nor am I jealous enough to seek to take that from you both.” He takes in a slow, gentle breath. Persephone can see his eyes shut.

“I had just hoped, nay wished, that I would be the one chosen by as an equal. To have and to hold the same powers, without temporary conditions. I yearned for the knowledge, about--”. The words tumbled from his lips, and the more they tumbled the more tense he grew. Lotor had to stop himself from tumbling into anger again, and done so with a slow, loud sigh. “I wanted to have something of my own that I earned. Something without the bloodied past connected to my father, or that lasted for just a short time.” After a moment to let the words sink into the air of the conversation, Persephone began to approach the tormented man again. The fact of his disjointed upbringing was not hidden from Persephone’s knowledge. It wasn’t as if he was used to speaking so openly, vulnerable, to another person about it, but he had, especially after he slew his own father to protect Voltron. Her hands sought out and fell upon his shoulders, a careful but soft touch to comfort him as he spoke so plainly for once--Persephone knew that it had to be hard for him to talk openly about his feelings like that. Persephone felt him flinch when her palms press to his shoulders, but Lotor doesn’t make a move away from the contact. He opened his eyes and stared into the visor of the training robot, though Persephone almost felt his gentle glance from the reflection of the visor. “I want no connection with that man, and while I have fought and earned a place in the empire for myself, it’s--” He grits his teeth. “It’s still part of _his_ empire.” He didn’t realize, in his anger, that a solitary tear of frustration decorated his face. A few moments of silence passed between the two of them before the prince turned around to face Persephone, golden and blue eyes meeting her own hazel ones; his look open, more vulnerable than Persephone had ever seen.

It kept Persephone from speaking, but only for a few moments with the breath caught in her throat. Persephone just...didn’t know what to tell him; his worries made sense, driven deep into the psyche of a young man who simply wanted a legacy for himself, untied to the stained empire previously ruled by a tyrant. The confusion was evident enough in Persephone’s features, as Lotor let out a sigh. “I...I’m sorry to take this frustration out around you, Persephone,” he murmured, finally bringing a hand up to grab one of her own, pressing it to one of his cheeks. “I sought isolation so that the others wouldn’t misunderstand it. I don’t want to take away what rightfully belongs to the full-blooded heir to the Alteans and a liaison of humans’ old gods, I just…”. He nuzzled into the warmth of Persephone’s palm. “...I just wanted something to call my own.” Persephone looked up at him, the man, the enigma, the Emperor of the Galra, but who was just as Altean. Though Persephone couldn’t begin to claim to know anything of what it’s like to have been through what he has, she had empathy in her thoughts of him, sympathy to bring out the man that Persephone had grown to know from the confines of his past mistreatment. In that moment, Persephone’s thoughts came to a sudden decision, with words flowing from her lips without anything to stop nor filter them, but they are honest and true all the same. “I can be yours, and you can be mine.” Persephone felt Lotor’s eyes open and stare at her. His emotions were too hard to read, but Persephone could at least pick a moment of surprise from the simple words that tumbled from her mouth. Those eyes bore into Persephone’s soul, as if trying to pick up on some unspoken meaning or message that her words hid. Regardless of what conclusion he came to, it didn’t stop Lotor from stepping closer. His hands moved to Persephone’s cheeks, holding them gently so that Persephone had to meet his gaze as he spoke so softly. “There’s danger to speak those words around me right now, sweet goddess.” Persephone held his gaze, even when his hands fell from her face. The tension Persephone saw in his eyes began to look different, shifting a shade or two away from the anger of before, but still as primal, and as passionate.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize what Persephone was starting to see in his eyes, fueled by the emotional waterfall he had experienced moments ago--the one he was still trying to work through. “Maybe I do not mind a little danger. I have been alive for over 6,000 years.”, Persephone spoke with confidence, but still a softness to her voice. “And maybe it would help to let some of that tension out.” “I don’t seek to take you like a conquest, Persephone.” Lotor looked almost disgusted by her implication. “You don’t have to. I want you, for quite some time now.” The answer seems so simple, and yet Lotor looked almost confused by it. The corner of Persephone’s lips gently lifts in a moment of mild amusement. “Then learn me like you want to learn the universe--like the planets you ruled kindly, of your own hand and not like that of your father’s.” Persephone lifted a hand to his cheek, stroking a thumb across his face and tracing the mark that still glowed so faintly against his lavender skin. “Learn my body like you learned the planets--the hills, the mountains, the rivers and lakes. Discover the secrets of me and my body. You do not have to conquer anything if I want you to have me.” He stares silently at Persephone’s face, her lips, as she spoke. He seems truly enraptured by her colorful description, if a little amused, and slowly takes a step to close the gap between the both of their bodies. “And I assume...Persephone….you want me to have you?” His voice sounds as sweet as sugar, a purr that graces the air and into Persephone’s ears. It isn’t helped by the look on his face now--not angry, not tensed, but passionate. There’s a new fire that seems to smolder in Lotor’s golden eyes, one that makes Persephone’s belly feel hot. He stands so close to Persephone now, looking at her, as if goading Persephone to answer, to play the little game that she unwittingly began. Instead of answering however, Persephone simply nods. Lotor’s smile widened slightly, flashing the sharp Galra fangs that always seemed to capture her attention. “Then perhaps I will conquer you, Persephone, my dear--” He wraps an arm around her body and suddenly, but gently, pulls Persephone against him. “--the first to call my own; I shall have you crying out my name before the ship’s internal clock cycles over. And I will admit, I want to call out yours as well.” Mischief seemed to work into Lotor’s tone as he holds Persephone against him, fingers gently playing on the small of her back, rubbing little circles against her skin through the layer of her flight suit.

There’s a break in his gaze as Lotor looks from one side of the training deck to the other, his gaze long and lingering. It seems confusing to Persephone for a minute, but his next words answer that quickly enough. “Do you want me to have you _here?_ Right in the middle of the training bay?” The question almost sounds unanswerable, hypothetical, but there’s genuine want of confirmation despite the hunger in Lotor’s expression. “Shall I take thee, sweet Persephone, here like a needy beast? I wonder if you would enjoy that, sweetest--does the idea excite you so?” “Yes, you silver-tongued devil.” Though Persephone’s answer was what he asked for, it didn’t seem to be enough. Persephone watched the man drag the tip of his tongue across his lips and gently grab her chin between the fingers of his free hand. He tilted Persephone’s head gently, and leans in so that his lips brush lightly against her ear. “I want to hear you say it entirely,” He whispers. “I want you to beg for me, to have you here.” It sent a shiver up Persephone’s spine, the sound of his voice right against her ear, and makes a moment of weakness shiver through her buckling legs. Persephone’s hands move, slowly, to grip the gentle curve of Lotor’s hips. “I want you to fuck me right here, Lotor,” Persephone turned her face slightly, just enough to nip teasingly at his jaw. “I want you to fuck me as hard as you can--make me be yours, completely yours.” And then he moved in a blur of motion. Persephone couldn’t help but gasp in surprise and delight when Lotor practically manhandled her to the ground, his body over hers. Persephone looked up to him, dazed for but a moment, and laughed after the quick moment had passed. “What happened to including the training mechanism in this?” “Too much effort to go to the control module to get the thing programmed correctly,” Lotor says, a scoff in his voice, as he’s paying far too much attention otherwise to stripping Persephone down to nothing. His fingers, diligent and nimble as they were in battle, seemed to have plenty of challenge in the intricacy of her uniform. “As soon as I remove this from you, I’ll have you writhing for me, my sweet.”

As much as Persephone would have found interest in watching Lotor fumble with the fastenings of her uniform, Persephone instead assisted him, slowly working down her body until each layer was removed, finally leaving Persephone bare on the cold floor, discarded clothes scattered around. Lotor, with that soft, yet mischievous smirk on his face, looked hungry. “Like a feast laid before me,” He murmurs, leaning down to trail kisses across the line of Persephone’s jaw. One arm held the weight of his body while the other worked down his form, carefully undoing the intricate fastenings and connectors that Persephone was glad she didn’t need to bother over. He pressed a kiss to the juncture of Persephone’s throat, hot and wet with the barest touch of his fangs, pressing to Persephone’s skin. “How I’ve longed for this, for Persephone beneath me,” his words whisper against her skin as he trails his lips lower, to the dip of her collarbone. “For your soft voice begging me for my attention--my strength, my lips on yours, Persephone.” Persephone feel a soft drape of cloth over her stomach as the top of his outfit comes loose. It doesn’t take long to help him out of it, pushing it off of his shoulders and carelessly tossing it with the rest of her clothes. She admired his form, how he was sculpted, as if the gods themselves literally created this spectacle of man for her. She knew what would happen next, and her body felt washed over with the flames of desire. She wanted a union with him, to seal that union in the carnal acts that praised the love one felt, the same acts in the bacchanals that honored Dionysus. Persephone’s hands pressed to Lotor’s bare chest in a need to explore, to learn him, to start learning what felt good to him. The moment Persephone began to savor the touch however, he pulled himself back, instead on his knees above Persephone, shaking his head and almost boyishly. “I never said that you could touch me like that, dearest.” His hands hovered near the last fastening on his pants, toying with it than anything, and seemed to feel amusement in how Persephone’s eyes flipped from that to his bare chest, then finally up to his face with incredulous confusion. He looked almost too pleased with the situation as he spoke, a purr of words, “You asked me to conquer you, Persephone. I said I would leave you crying out my name and writhing beneath me, and I plan to do that exactly.” “That is not fair, Lotor,” Persephone can’t help but feel warmth bubble in her belly at the way he looks at Persephone at that, the way his shoulders give only a light shrug in response. Alright, two can play at that game.

Persephone relaxed, trying not to focus too much on the sleek metal floor that has at least begun to absorb some of the warmth of her body. Persephone’s arms lift, above her head in a casual pose that Persephone hopes comes off as more enticing than juvenile. “If you are going to talk so mighty, then maybe you better deliver on your word, sweet prince.” Lotor took no offense to the goading--if anything, he looks thrilled, excited by the dare, by the heat that’s filling up Persephone’s words. His eyes devoured Persephone with a glance, down her toned warrior body, taking it all in before finally making the move to strip himself down equally as naked as Persephone was. Persephone didn’t have enough time to admire his body as much as she would have liked, since he moved too quickly, falling back upon Persephone like a siren, lunging upon its prey. The analogy isn’t lost beyond that either; as soon as Lotor’s body is pressed down against Persephone he takes no hesitation to start nipping down the soft skin of her throat, free hand playing down Persephone’s body in an eager search to know it. “What secrets does Persephone hold?” He purrs, voice deep with need. “What will make you cry for me the most?” He skims his fingertips over her entirely, lingering over the spots that yield a gasp, a plea, he takes note of them all. Hands that have slaughtered plenty in battle treat each other not like a conquest of pride, but one of awe and passion for knowledge, all the while locked with in a kiss that left both breathless. Eventually, Lotor’s hand fell south of Persephone’s waist, keen to make true to his promise. A gasp interrupted the kiss between the both of them, and Persephone’s legs almost instinctively parted to let Lotor’s wandering hand between them. “The sounds you make,” Lotor breathed. “They’re lovely--I want to hear more of them.” It didn’t take long for Persephone to feel the first threads of orgasm as his fingers gently thrusted inside of her dripping cunt, experimenting with speed and depth until Persephone was an instrument of pleasure for him to tune to his liking, and there was no better feeling in the world she could compare it to. His weight was such a comfort, laying upon her, except for where he had adjusted enough to pleasure her. Persephone could feel his eyes on her face the entire time as he watched every little gasp, every blush, every twitch. “I want--”, her words tumbled eagerly from her lips. “Lotor--I want--more--”. “More?” The prince’s breath warmed over Persephone’s ear. “Do you mean like _this?_ _”_

Persephone’s body nearly jumped as his fingers increased in tempo and depth, scurrying her closer to the edge but still just short of what she needed to get there. Persephone wanted something more, something thicker and more filling. “I want to hear you beg me for it,” he hissed. “I want to hear it from Persephone, your sweet voice--I want to hear you pleading for the feeling of my cock fucking you into the floor of this room. _Beg me for it._ ” There was such a power in the man’s voice, such passion and need that wrapped tightly around his command that shook Persephone deep to her core. It was hard enough to get an answer out though, not with his hand doing terrible things to Persephone and her sense of cohesion in thought. He knew exactly how to play Persephone, and that alone seemed to excite him to no end--there was a thick, firm heat pressed against Persephone’s thigh that only aroused her further, that made her want to see it, to touch it, to feel it inside her. “Fuck me!” Persephone sobbed, barely able to force the words out when her body was otherwise trying to filter through the fits of pleasure. “Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me--fill me up with your cock and let your lips and body finish what you started.” Persephone’s hips tried to push up into his hand, to get just a little more, a little more. “Have me, take me, make me yours, Lotor!” There was a beat without a response. A moment of agony, chained to the edge of climax, before Persephone finally heard Lotor’s quiet whisper, “So beautiful.” That’s when everything snapped. When he did some small action, it sent Persephone toppling over the edge and she was focused solely on the hot and heavy feeling of ecstasy rolling over her body in thick, wonderful waves. Persephone wasn’t even through the entirety of her orgasm before Lotor shifted, moving between her open legs and grabbing her hips in his hands. He growled when he ground his hips into hers. “Mine, my goddess.” The words were saturated with emotion, possessiveness, and it all sounded so delicious while the thick aura of afterglow started to fill Persephone. And then, just a breath later, _he_ began to fill Persephone, opening her body up to the thickness of himself she was begging for just moments ago. There was sensitivity, but there was also satisfaction, intimacy and a pure sense of want coursing through Persephone. Persephone cursed in utter delight, legs wrapping instinctively around Lotor’s waist as he began a merciless pace. He sounded so feral at that moment, his voice thick with lust as he spoke which turned her on even more.

His claws dug into the flesh of Persephone’s hips, pounding Persephone against him with each thrust. It felt like pure Heaven. Perfect, warm and with no end to the glorious and raw sensation that filled Persephone. Just as Persephone thought a second orgasm would be quick after the first, Persephone felt a shift above her. Lotor’s hands moved, from holding her hips to wrapping around Persephone’s waist, pulling her up. “Oh fuck-!” The curse dripped from Persephone’s lips as his cock began to hit a different spot inside of her, angled just right to get even deeper than before. He held Persephone in his arms like that, practically bouncing her on his lap as the two of them were pressed eagerly against one another. “I want to hear all of your noises, Persephone” Lotor moaned, mouth pressed again to the dip of her collarbone. “Moan for me, beg for me, please.” His strength was unlike that of any other human, and non-human, lovers Persephone had and that in itself was something that made her squirm in delight. “Lotor,” came a plea from Persephone’s lips, a whisper so soft from the exhaustion of her first orgasm. It didn’t take more than a heartbeat for the man to turn into a beast, and snarl in response, thrusting faster still and biting on a yet-unmarked patch of skin on Persephone’s shoulder. “Louder,” he demanded, lips against her flesh. “Say my name _louder_ , I want you to beg for it--beg for me to make you cum a second time. I need to feel you clench around me!” Persephone was lost in pleasure at that point. “Please!” Words had little meaning to Persephone at that point, wanting only to find an end with Lotor’s thick cock inside her, brushing up against what seemed to be every sensitive bit inside her body. “Lotor pl-please! L-let me--m-make me cum! I want to cum for you!” Persephone was barely able to keep her eyes open, but Persephone could practically feel the smirk that Lotor pulled over his lips, the feeling of satisfaction and pride coursing through his veins at the sound of her voice pleading for him like that. “Persephone, you’re mine,” he murmured into her skin. “All mine--cum for me dearest. Let me hear you cum for me, Persephone.” And Persephone did.

Heat and pressure, all of it snaps in the span of a breath inside Persephone, leaving her so numb to everything except for the man pressed against Persephone. Persephone feels hot and cold, tense and relaxed, a plethora of things that all come with the endless bliss of orgasm. Lotor was not far behind Persephone either, and Persephone can feel his body tense and his breath come harsh before dissolving into wanton moans, as he too finds his release just moments after Persephone does. His moans are beautiful, soft, vulnerable and yet so powerful. Persephone feels him throb within her and his hands clutch needily at her shoulders and arms. It’s a moment of sweet vulnerability that is more beautiful than Persephone ever saw. The pleasure is fleeting, however, and after a few minutes the two of them are laying beside one another, simply basking in the afterglow of it all. Exhaustion clings to both Persephone and Lotor, though for very different reasons, but it doesn’t stop him from pulling her in to hold close, arms wrapped protectively around her form. It’s beautiful, despite the fact that the two of them are laying in a very public room and are surrounded by scattered articles of clothing. Lotor is the first to speak. “I do apologize, dearest, about my ‘sub-deity’ comment from earlier.” Persephone turned her head towards him. “I forgive you.” Yet, it wasn’t quite the answer he was looking for. “Persephone….you mean very much to me. I meant what I said. I am truly sorry.” His voice is so soft, Persephone nearly misses it. “And….what you said means a lot to me as well. I still feel some bitterness over what fate has given me, but I no longer feel that painful anger as before.” He tightens his arms around Persephone and presses a chaste kiss to her cheek. “I feel….better about it, so thank you Persephone for that, for your never-ending kindness.” Persephone does what she can to return the kiss. “You are welcome. I’ll be here however you need me through this--I know it is going to be hard for you.” A minute passes with just the sound of both of their breathing, chests gently rising, falling, and bodies yet tangled together in the lovely glow of intimacy that followed the carnal acts. However, a thought finally comes to Persephone. “Maybe it’s best that we move into my quarters to continue this, instead of laying here in the public area” Persephone jokingly says, blinking up at Lotor. He blinks curiously at Persephone in return, realization coming back to him. “Ah, that’s a good idea”. He clears his throat, cheeks darkening from embarrassment after a moment. Persephone only responds with a light chuckle before pressing her lips to the darkened mark on his cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Frankly, Lotor just needs good loving, and it's about time he got it. The next few chapters are gonna be fluffy and a bit smutty (borderline-smut as well). 
> 
> Hint: there will be a dance. (cue Cinderella-esque situation)


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for a dance, and some fluff at the end!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the type of dress Persephone was wearing, and the scene in her bedroom when she's brushing his hair.
> 
> https://demigoddessqueens.tumblr.com/post/623323992914280448/show-chapter-archive

After securing his title and position as the new Emperor, the politics of the war took a turn for the briefest respite, despite the occasional strike from Sendak. News spread like wildfire throughout the galaxy as the Coalition congregated to see for themselves. Although he was a new leader with a new hope, Lotor was still met with hesitation and mistrust from a good majority of others. Even during the meetings and banquets that she attended, Persephone could see the faint tiredness and exhaustion in Lotor’s demeanor. _He’s trying all he can. Can you all at least see that he is trying?_ She had confided her concerns with Allura on a number of occasions until it was decided that a casual ball would be best. An event with no swords, or fights, just where all could congregate and let their hair down, metaphorically and literally. Though it wasn’t as rapturous as the festivals and rituals she grew up with, Persephone still appreciated these events and how it offered a sliver of serenity from her life of war. Plus, she was eager to try on a remnant she had stowed away with her when she and the other paladins first encountered Voltron. Dressed for the evening, with her hair in the more traditional braids and adorned with the jewelry she had found from the Space Mall, Persephone took in her appearance in the mirror. It had been so long since she dressed formally for such events, and her excitement bubbled over as she left for the crowds. All eyes were upon her as Coran announced her entrance, taking in the sight of the human who was dressed so differently but elegantly. As she made her way down the stairs, she offered the Coalition her smiles and waves. Normally, she used to stick with the other paladins and a few of the Blades, sadly without Keith present, but they all were assigned to be sub-hosts and to entertain the guests for Allura. Not that it was any bother for Persephone. She enjoyed seeing this many people gathered together under one roof. Amongst her conversing with the representatives, royalty and diplomats from other planets, she couldn’t help but notice the regal Emperor standing alone by himself in the corner. He had a slight forlorn expression etched on his face, observing those coming and going, and on the lords and ladies waltzing in the center of the Castle’s ballroom.

Though Persephone did stay with the others for a while, she excused herself to step away to refill her evening glass. By that time Lotor had also stepped away since things started to become overwhelming for him. Persephone could see him making his way out towards the balcony and gradually followed behind him. Ever since their “meeting” in the training room, she always felt such a thrill when her mind replayed the scenario over and over again. Whenever she looked at him, she took in every detail about him: his height, his eyes, his hair, the soft color of his skin, and everything else between him. Also, she never doubted her feelings and after that encounter, she followed him outside just to seek a reassurance of what he felt for her. Lotor wasn’t expecting her given how he jumped at her sudden appearance, but he appreciated her presence. “Ah, Persephone. Enjoying the celebrations I see.” “I was, but I wanted to see what you were up to.” She could’ve sworn she saw him blush. He kept his gaze ahead, admiring the stars “It is quite impressive that everyone came out to see the noble Voltron, to see all of you.” Persephone took his hand into hers, noting how hers dwarfed in comparison. “Us, they all came to see us.” Lotor turned to Persephone’s voice, giving her a smile in acknowledgement. “I do apologize for my brief exit. Sometimes, larger gatherings such as this can be quite tiresome for me, especially without the proper dance partner.” She smirked at his implication as he held out his hand to her. They walked back into the main hall, hand in hand, arm in arm. “I was hoping you would take the cue to walk outside. I’ve wanted to talk to you all evening.” Persephone and Lotor were met with stares and whispers as the two of them walked to the center. He had pulled her close to him as they got into their dancing position.

As the next song played, the two of them seemed to forget those who were around them. They were lost to each other, as if they created their own little haven in the universe. _He’s a really good dancer and I don’t know why, but it feels good. It feels right._ It was like a smooth, slow dance for them. Where she twirled, he was there to catch her in the next step. Her hands in his and on his shoulders, it was the perfect fit for the two of them. For a brief moment, they looked into each other’s eyes, a deep gaze of knowing and acknowledging their bond. After all, they had no problem expressing how they felt last week, but that was best left unknown to the wandering eyes. In addition to the entire Coalition, Allura, Shiro, and the rest of the paladins were definitely watching the two of them, noting how forward Lotor was behaving during a ball and the positive appearance both he and Persephone put on display. Despite Lance’s jealous concerns, he noted the happiness on Persephone’s face, and that was enough for him. After their dance concluded, the crowds applauded at such a lovely piece. Lotor could feel his heart beating in his chest as he took the time to actually revel Persephone’s form in her dress and all her décor. _Is that what they wore? No wonder mortals flocked to them for praise, for attention._ The events of last week’s rendezvous in the training room was not lost on him, either. He wanted to at least get away from the night’s events, to just be alone with her. Allura noted how he leaned down to whisper into Persephone’s ear, and how she reciprocated with a smile. It wasn’t long till the two of them walked off towards the rooms. _Now where could they be going?_

Persephone know it was rude to stare, but with Lotor around, she just couldn’t help but stare. Maybe it was the way he held himself at the ball, with his head held high and his shoulders pushed back —looking every bit like the emperor he was. Maybe it was the way he moved; full of grace, every action done with purpose and delicateness. Or maybe it was his hair, swishing as it follows his every move, shining so bright when the stars twinkled and how soft it felt –. “Persephone?” his baritone voice startled her out of her revelry. Persephone’s expression must’ve been particularly comical because when her eyes focused on him, his expression was one of mild amusement. She blinked a few times, trying to form a coherent response. Or at the very least not look like a fool in front of him. “Yea-yes?” His amusement grew at her sudden loss of composure, “Are you alright? You look like you’ve been deep in thought for quite some time now.” “Oh! Uh, yes, I’m fine. No need to worry about me.” She awkwardly laughed. “Here, you can sit here on the couch. Let just refresh for the night.” Persephone quickly disrobed in her washroom, anticipation and excitement pooling in her gut. She didn’t know what would happen for the evening, but she most likely preferred a repeat of last week. As she stepped out in her sleeping gown, she could hear the slight hitch of breath coming from Lotor. “You look….beautiful”, he whispered under his breath. Persephone chuckled as she strode over to where he was seated, placing her head on his shoulder. She could feel his head slowly falling on where hers was. After a few moments, Lotor cleared his throat before speaking again.

“l was wondering if you could help me with something.” Her curiosity now peaked at his unusual behavior. _He always has such a s cute blush,_ she thought to herself. “Of course! What is it that you need help with?” He definitely _was_ blushing, the slight flush painting him a dark magenta. “Can you...help me brush my hair?” he asks, eyes not quite meeting hers. It wasn’t too terribly out of character, but still so fascinating to her _. So even the great Emperor himself wasn’t immune to embarrassment._ “I realize it may be an odd request, but I had something more intimate in mind. At first….I did have the intent to make love to you, but I wanted something different for this evening. To just _be_ with you.” _Oh, you can be quite the romantic._ Persephone smiled at him. “Sure.” She took the hairbrush from her dresser and sat behind him. As she started brushing down his long, fine hair, Persephone began to encounter some tangles along the way. She took her time untangling them, making sure not to tug on them too harshly. She noticed that Lotor was a bit tense when she started, but after brushing for a while, he had begun to melt into Persephone contentedly, and eventually leaned back into her. Meanwhile, the intimacy of the situation wasn’t lost on her. She appreciated his words at the beginning, and his soft intimacy with her. _What would the others think if they saw the two of you—?_ As Persephone was lost to her task, she realized to see that Lotor had fallen asleep, and he was using her chest as a pillow. A faint blush decorated her cheeks. At first, she couldn’t even talk to him properly when they met, and now he was sleeping peacefully in her arms. Persephone tried to say something to get his attention, but the words die in your mouth as the reality of the situation sunk in. Was he nuzzling his head further? Was he _purring?_ _Wait a minute, is he awake?_ “Lotor,” she said in a jesting tone. “I know you’re awake.”

He opens one eye. “Hmm?” Persephone let out a huff of exasperation, her earlier shyness totally forgotten. “Don’t pretend that you just woke up. I know you were awake this whole time.” He raises an eyebrow. “Oh?” Persephone glared at him, with her smirk threatening to break into laughter. A few moments passed with her stifled laughs until he simpered up to her. “Wait! You’re going to get your hair all tangled up again.” His toothy grin betrayed his intent. “Hmm, how about no.” “Lotor,” she said in a warning tone. “I’m quite comfortable where I am, thank you very much.” To prove his point, he burrowed the back of his head further into her chest. “Very soft and supple.” _“Lotor!”_ He let out a teasing laugh as he managed to get Persephone into a position to where he cradled her in his arms. As he looked down at her, and she up at him, their laughter subsided for a while. Soon, Persephone gently cupped the side of his face with her free hand, while the other wrapped around his midsection. Lotor’s arms wrapped around her waist and kept her head up to face him. The mood of the evening ignited their kiss, a sweet affair in their own safe haven. Their lips meeting in a chaste union.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am writing S6 as we continue on! Yes, there will be the angst!  
> But as I said from the beginning, this story WILL MOST DEFINITELY have a happy ending!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's the last smut chapter for a while! Then our S6 events will be smut as well!

Persephone was supposed to come back from her meeting at the Galra headquarters, but since she was not appointed as a paladin, she could just return to the Castle and rest as she so chose. _I guess I could use a break every now and then. It’s been a bit demanding with the Coalition missions and the celebration ball we recently held._ Or so she though. Her day started off with her meeting with Lotor’s most trusted advisors for the day, yet she was slightly surprised to see no sign of Lotor throughout the day. Afterwards, she didn’t want to leave just yet without seeing him and decided to at least kill some time. Up in the Galra’s training deck, she sparred for a good while with one of their sentries, before taking a break. During her respite, she felt something strange brushing up against her as she looked down and saw one of the most exotic cats she had seen. This one had angular features with bits of orange and multi-colored blue fur. It had been brushing up against her arm with loud purrs, and soon rose up on its haunches. It continued to purr as it nuzzled into her and gave a few gentle headbutts. Persephone laughed at the sweet animal’s gestures as she began to pet it. “Aren’t you a sweet one? Who do you belong to?” The cat’s only response was to turn over on its belly for more scratches. As Persephone indulged this creature, she spoke her mind out loud to the large room. “At least you’re good company than nobody. I haven’t seen Lotor all day.” At the mention of his name, the cat quickly jumped up from its position. It slowly began to walk towards the exit, but turned back to acknowledge Persephone. It’s eyes focused on her for a while before turning to face the exit, then turning back at her. _Does it want me to follow it?_ As Persephone got up, she began to slowly walk towards the cat as it began to walk in front her out the room and down the hall. “Seems to me you know the way.” She noted to herself to thank the mysterious cat as she approached what could only be Lotor’s chambers, with its intricately designed doors. She carefully opened the door to the room that housed the Galtean emperor she was fond of, where she saw the man curled up and shivering in his bed.

She immediately dropped her helmet on the floor and rushed to his side, her free hand falling on his flaming forehead. She never really thought that Galra, or Alteans, could have a fever. However, it felt like a foolish assumption to make. Many alien races were similar in many ways to each other, so wouldn’t Lotor be similar in how his body dealt with sickness too? Though it must be a different disease than anything Persephone could get, seeing how her biology was different in some ways. She was amused though at the thought that it possibly came down a flu or a cold to humble her cheeky lover. She was startled when a hand clenched around her wrist and tugged it away from the heated skin as Lotor sat up and turned to her. Persephone barely realized that her other hand is now clenched in his too. He looked pained. “I’m not sick.” _So he does get a temperature raise when he’s ill. Otherwise he wouldn’t say it._ “Then what else caused the fever?” She scoffed as she stared in his eyes, which were dark with only a hint of the vibrant cobalt she was used to. Lotor let out a sound very close to a growl before biting down on his lower lip and she felt herself draw closer. “Come on, Lotor. You know you can tell me anything. Remember? You do not have to hind your emotions and vulnerabilities from me. You can admit to being taken down by an illness. I won’t tell anyone or judge you. You know me.” Persephone was startled again when his hand reached for her face and tugged behind her ear a strand of hair that fell in front of her face. Persephone felt her face heating up in response, as his other arm lazily circled her waist, with a lopsided smile decorating his face. “It’s a Galra thing,” he finally huffed out in half-amusement as Persephone rolled her eyes. She pushed at his chest with a plan to make him lay down, but he didn’t budge. “Then sleep it off, you silly man.” “Believe me, while I say that’s a bad idea. I’d rather take a very long cold shower, while you go sleep in another room.” The realization finally hit her. “...Are you... aroused? Lotor? I’ve heard from the Blades about the Galra going through some type of heat cycle. Does that happen frequently?” The moment those words passed her lips, Persephone felt her face heat up again. She started to regret her words. Lotor tried to swallow down his nerves. “Precisely, in heat. But this of course is a part of that.” _Please don’t let her be repulsed by me. “_ What else is a part of it?” Persephone asked. “Is your questioning a proposition of helping me, love?” Lotor tilted his head slightly at that and Persephone felt herself smirking back at him. “Maybe, yes, no, maybe so.” He leaned in closer, the arm circling her waist now pulling her closer as well.

“I’d rather say I may be considering this,” Persephone eloquently replied while she allowed him to sit her down on his lap, her fingers diving deep in his snow white hair. A tug made him growl lowly. “Careful, love. You’re making it _awfully_ hard for me to hold back,” he warned her, gifting his newfound love a predatory stare that caused a shiver of desire to run down her spine. “Well, maybe I don’t want you to hold back?” he let out a low sound that seems to be a mix of a growl and a purr. His claw dug into the silver material covering her thigh while he leaned in further, as Persephone let out a hiss at the painful action. “Then say so and I will gladly take your offer.” A shiver ran down Persephone’s spine again when she heard his husky voice whispering in her ear, puffs of hot air falling as well. She could’ve sworn she felt his hands trembled as he touched her. It seemed he _was_ telling the truth about finding it hard to control himself while in heat. “I want to have sex with you, _now, love_. Please, I need this. I need you.” The claws dug in deeper while the growl grew in his throat. Suddenly, Persephone’s back was pressed in the mattress, breath nearly knocked out of her lungs as his lips hungrily claimed hers, hands brushing over her belly and higher, grabbing her top and dragging it up as well. When she was rid of the upper garments, Persephone immediately kissed him back, quickly taking over his mouth. Her fingers brushed through his hair and dug into his scalp while he worked on getting her silver pants off as well. As he dragged his fingers over her toned thighs, Persephone noted the absence of the claws and that made her wonder whether he’s still controlling himself or did they disappear for some other reason. Persephone simply stopped caring the moment his thumb pressed to her lacy panties and roughly brushed over her now swollen clit, eliciting a muffled whine from her. “Are you sure?”, Lotor asked again for her reassurance. They were both gasping for air and it became hard to focus on making words, especially with swollen lips. Persephone rolled her eyes to buy some time.

“Of course. Why’d you think I wouldn’t be here? When I said we were in this together, I also promised to be by your side and help you through all, even occurrences such as this”, she huffed out with frustration, and affection, before locking her eyes with his again. They were squinted so tightly, they were almost closed. “You’re _in pain_.” “And you’re _small,_ Perse. Can you truly take all of me?” She could feel her heart swell inside her chest as her hands moved from his hair to cup Lotor’s face. “Please just stop worrying about me, my love, and rather focus on the fact how disappointed I’ll be if I can walk without trouble tomorrow.” This was the final nail in the coffin, since the next thing Persephone registered was the feeling of his nose pressing to the underside of her chin before sharp fangs grazed over her soft skin, and harshly bit in the moment he reached her collarbone. Persephone let out a yelp of pain, but the thought of it quickly left her mind when both parts of her undergarment were ripped off and Lotor’s long finger slipped over, spreading her wetness around her entrance, and into her core while his other hand explored Persephone’s fully exposed skin. Only then does she realize she was dragging her nails down the man’s back when he suddenly pulled back with a low growl, hands grasping at her wrists and pinning them over her head. “ _Don’t._ I don’t want to lose control and hurt you.” The look on his face, filled with concern and a something apologetic, tugged at Persephone’s heartstrings. His face hovered just an inch over hers, the always stray strand of silver hair tickling her nose. She couldn’t keep in the whimper that forced its way past your lips as his grip was so strong it began to bruise her skin. Lotor loosened his hold immediately, but doesn’t let go, bringing both of her arms up, so that he can pin them over Persephone’s head together with only one hand and she let him do so yet with a lustful whine. The idea of being restrained was exciting, not to mention it made Persephone realize just how small her wrists were, or maybe how big his palm is, since it fully wrapped around her while still keeping loose.

“Tell me if I’m holding you too strong and don’t fear to guide me to make it more enjoyable for you,” he purred in her ear, before lightly grazing it with his teeth. Persephone instinctively bared her throat for him, her breath hitching when he complied and covered her skin with feathery kisses and licks while slipping his free hand back to her weeping sex. This time, after rubbing over it, he entered inside her with two of his fingers. The stretch felt a bit aching, but Persephone felt immense pleasure when his digits moved, curling and scissoring, searching for pressure points inside of her. The caresses force pleasured sounds to build in her throat, despite Persephone’s best efforts to keep them in. It doesn’t take long until Lotor adds a third finger, causing the tension to build in her lower belly. Persephone’s breath hitched, find herself craving to touch him again, to run her fingers through his locks and drag them across his back. She thought it would be a great idea if she could just grab at _anything_ as the shivering waves of pleasure hits her, again and again, forcing out a series of gasps and whines as Persephone reached her peak. When she came back down from her high, the digits inside of Persephone were still moving, pushing and stretching, her body still tingly and _sensitive_ from her previous orgasm. It was easy to forget that she wasn’t the one that needed the most attention when Lotor's thumb rubbed over her clit again and again. Just when Persephone was on the verge again, Lotor’s fingers suddenly removed from inside of her and she let out a loud sound of discontent, her eyes snapping open to lock with the dark gaze of the prince. “Get on your hands and knees.” Persephone didn’t realize he let go of her wrists until he ordered her, the tone he used held such an edge to it Persephone felt herself move to comply without a second thought. She let out a soft gasp as Lotor’s arm circled her waist and lifted her hips higher immediately after, his chest partly pushing to her back before she feel his ridged member press against wet folds.

“Go on,” Persephone murmured and he kissed the nape of her neck, inhaling her scent while pushing further inside. Persephone felt herself gasping at the slow intrusion. She was thankful he decided to take it slowly since he _was_ larger than what she was traditionally used to. Nonetheless, it was an amazing feeling. He filled her to the point that made breathing and keeping her eyes open a daunting task. When Lotor’s hips touch her ass with his thrusts, Persephone got a moment of pause and held her breath, while Lotor buried his face in her hair, neck, and collarbone. He began to rub his face into her, taking in her aroused scent and marking her as his “You’re so tight, and so hot” Lotor managed to inform her, with his voice strangled as his other arm joined his first that was around Persephone’s waist. Persephone let out breathy chuckle, hands clenching around the pillow in order to keep herself upright for just a moment longer. “It’s okay,” she let him know when her body got used to him and you felt him slightly nod in response before he pulled her towards the mattress. “I’m not a fan of... that pose. I want to see you, your face, when we make love,” he gasped out as Persephone’s side rested on the soft material. She could only huff out another laugh before staggering when Lotor’s middle finger of his caged arm, between Persephone’s body and the mattress, still pressed to her clit. He grazed her neck with his sharpened fangs, his free arm hooking under Persephone’s leg and lifting it as he withdrew slowly. She could only shiver at the friction, thanks to still being sensitive from the foreplay, and unconsciously lifted her leg even higher to hook it over his, while he pushed right back in. He used this to his advantage to roam his now free hand through her body, fingers roaming over Persephone’s skin. It didn’t take much time exploring though because soon, he grabbed her hip in order to angle Persephone in a way that made his member reach deeper and press to a spot inside of her. Such intense pleasure brought stars to Persephone’s vision and pleasured sounds rushed from her throat. Fangs dragged over the skin of Persephone’s neck and fingers massaged her clitoris as Lotor quickly picked up his pace, thrusts growing more animalistic and passionate. Each time the head of his member dragged over her G-spot, Persephone found herself whimpering, yearning for the sounds of his building groans.

Persephone couldn’t register the fact she reach behind her until her fingers were buried deep into her lover’s hair. Digging into his scalp resulted in animalistic growls that followed by Lotor slamming himself deep into Persephone while biting hard into the base of her neck. She knew his name left his lips as she lost herself to the bliss of her orgasm. A blinding white light care over Persephone as the second orgasm coursed through her body in violent shivers. She felt completely limp for however long it lasted, but when she finally came to from her high, Persephone heard Lotor groan out her name before feeling his warmth spill inside of her. She gasped with pleasure as she realized that his member grew when he comes, the ridges pushing at her walls and making the thrusts even more difficult. Persephone found herself trembling and close to the edge, though, although it was a good thing the man hasn’t stopped his ministrations since she find herself clenching around him again, the feeling almost overbearing as this time Persephone yelled out his name while she came a third time. As her post-coital vision settled and the buzzing in her ears receded, Persephone let out a short laugh before plopping her head back onto the pillow. “You haven’t... mentioned anything... about the knot, have you?”, she managed to wheeze out while Lotor planted long, yet chaste, kisses on the back of her neck. “I thought you were aware it would happen,” he murmured smugly in response, altering their position a little so that he could snake his arm under Persephone’s neck to pull her to his side, before throwing a blanket over the two of them. Persephone smiled lightly, as she nudged closer to him. She could never get enough of his blissed out face, with his calm demeanor and half-hooded eyes that conveyed his passion towards her. “I’m sorry.” “Whatever for, my love?” Persephone responded with a jest. He was just glad he kept her this close, even though Persephone knew he doesn’t really have much choice seeing as how the two of them were still linked down there. “I _did_ tell you I wanted to have trouble walking tomorrow.” She added on, realizing their predicament. Lotor huffed out a laugh at that and Persephone angled her head in a way that allowed her a glance at his face. “I love you,” Lotor stated, with the soft smile he always reserved for Persephone and her alone. She returned the sentiment, hugging his arm closer to her body, as the two drifted off to a peaceful sleep. _I’ll keep in mind to thank that cat_.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yaaayy! We've made it into S6 territory (trying to laugh through the pain with these chapters :P )

Amidst their success with helping Lotor take the throne and control of Galra headquarters, now the time came to make his presence known at the head of the empire, where his father’s throne stood. Though he didn’t look it, his nerves were at an all time high. This was where his father determined the fate of billions across the galaxy, and now here he was allied with the enemies of his father and the woman he had come to cherish and adore. The closer the Castle of the Lions made its way to Zarkon’s ship, the more Lotor realized that this was truly becoming a reality for him. “To return so triumphantly is a dream I thought I would never achieve. We are one step closer to bringing peace and prosperity to the entire universe.” He acknowledged the two women who had helped him achieve this dream. “This is all because of you, Persephone and Allura.” Persephone gave his hand a gentle, subtle squeeze. “We did it together, Lotor. All of us. Give yourself some credit.” Allura smiled from her piloted area. “We would have never gained the secrets to Oriadne.” The ship docked and the doors opened, leading the crew to enter into Zarkon’s former castle. Shiro seemed to be thinking of what needed to be done in order to get down to business. “We’ll see intel in your briefing and decide what to do. Maybe we can—.” At that they were cut off by a woman’s strict, loud voice. “Lotor!”, she demanded. Persephone could feel the atmosphere change, as well as Lotor’s demeanor, when she heard him utter an exasperated “Oh no.” Lance’s interjection only seemed to annoy this woman. “How dare you speak to me without authorization from Blood Emperor Lotor?!”, she exclaimed before landing a blow on him with what appeared to be some type of crop.

Lotor had always tried to be a private man, but this particular person of his past couldn’t be hidden any longer. With a heavy sigh, he addressed the paladins and the woman. “She was my governess. No one has used the term ‘Blood Emperor’ since before we were a star-faring race. And these are my colleagues, they have more than my permission to speak. Everyone, this Dayak.” Everyone exchanged their greetings, with the exception of Lance cuddling the sore area where he was struck. Lotor still seemed a bit embarrassed when he turned his attention back to her. “So, to what do we owe the honor?” Dayak’s face beamed as she praised Lotor’s recent achievement. “Dayak’s raised you from a child to man, and now I’ll witness your ascension to the throne.” Persephone noticed that Lotor had been on edge, but now he seemed like a complete mess, with his ears now turned down in a drooping manner and a flush decorating his entire face. Persephone smirked to herself. _Oh, she was his caretaker. I’ve told him my childhood, and it seems I’m long overdue for my share of his stories._ Hunk started to express his curiosity at the Galra customs Dayak had mentioned, but seemed a bit deterred at the intensity she radiated. Allura, being the ever encouraging one, persuaded Hunk to take up the challenge as the rest of the crew headed to the briefing. As they were making their way over, Persephone couldn’t help but quietly laugh at before. Lotor noticed her demeanor with piqued eyebrows, and moved to where he was by her side. “And what, sweet one of mine, entertains you so?”, he whispered in a low voice. “Oh nothing, just some stories you owe me in due time.” Lotor paused in his steps, eyes wide, as Persephone’s soft giggles had a slight echo as she kept on walking. _Oh she was going to be such a minx._

During the briefing, it was disheartening to hear that Galra forces were breaking away and that Sendak’s efforts were recruiting them into the ranks of the Fire of Purification. Lotor was determined not to let these efforts go unnoticed and set off to address his fellow Galra. Before he went to address the masses, Persephone pulled him aside for a brief word. “It is time I address all Galra and make my claim as emperor absolute. My grip on the empire is tenuous as is. I need to proffer an alternative to our current state. That is why it is so important that Allura, Persephone and I gain access to the quintessence field.” So this was the plan to begin with: provide the incentive, cater to the masses, thus leading to a shun of the opposing side. “However, we cannot let the empire fall apart. I will address my people at the astral conflux.” Leaving Shiro and Coran with the other paladins at the briefing, Lotor had escorted the two women to a hangar where parts of a large ship were intact but it was still in a great need of work. “We must replicate Alfor’s work if we are to use this ship to enter the quintessence field.” Allura was keen on figuring out how, until a sentry noted Lotor’s appearance for the speech. As he was starting to walk away, Persephone followed after him, a bold idea on her mind. “Lotor, wait. I do have a suggestion about this speech. When you address them, it may be helpful to address the issues that are at hand and how only you can provide these solutions. It’ll turn everyone’s attention away from Sendak and you may sway them in your favor.” Lotor pondered her words a bit before speaking. “It seems it would serve better if you possibly looked over this speech, but on one condition.” “And what would that be?” “That you stand by my side as I give this address.” Now that had taken her aback. “A-Are you sure? What about the rest of them, or Allu-?” He gripped her hand. “You are as much of a leader as Shiro and Allura, and it would display to all that the Galra Empire stands with Voltron. And I want you by my side.” Her smile was the only response to him.

Standing by Lotor’s side, all eyes on her, it activated her nerves, but Persephone kept her composure. This wasn’t too uncommon for her. She stood by her mother’s side countless times during the queen’s addresses. “Galra brothers and sisters, I am your emperor, Lotor, son and successor of Zarkon. Slayer of a tyrant, child raised in the void and taught on the battlefield. There are rumors of doubt regarding my leadership, and to that I say, it is not possible to found a lasting power upon injustice, perjury, and treachery. Do not let Sendak and his forces poison your ears. The readiest and surest way to get rid of censure, is to correct ourselves, and we will do that. We have found the solutions to our problems in efforts to access unlimited quintessence. Pledge loyalty to me and I will deliver the Galra Empire unto times of untold prosperity.” At the conclusion of his address, the support began to fill in almost immediately. Lotor was impressed at the quick reception he had received. He turned to Persephone in his surprise. “Who taught you to speak such a way? Seems you already have the beginnings yourself.” Persephone chuckled at his slight praise. “I would attend my mother’s speeches when she held gatherings, be it to our people or to our _divine_ side of the family. Also, I studied the works of our own Demosthenes, the greatest of our orators.” “It seems I always learn something about you everyday, always the thrill.” Despite the temporary joy, word soon came in that one of the Galra labor planets aimed on pledging loyalty had been under attack by Sendak. The commander quickly called in to Lotor. “The planet has already been fired upon and we do not have the means to protect ourselves. You must send assistance immediately.” The paladins and Persephone were eager to assist, but Lotor seemed despondent at whether to help or see this as a test to abandon his post. Allura reassured him. “Voltron can handle this while you continue to rule. Your plan has waited this long. It can wait a tick longer. We must protect your innocent subjects.” Lotor had a pained expression on his face, but ultimately agreed. As they were beginning to leave, he grasped at Persephone’s wrist. “Please, be careful out there. I can’t lose…I can’t – “. She placed a slender finger to his lips. “It’s alright. I’ll be able to handle myself.”

It wasn’t long till Voltron had managed to wormhole to the labor planet and began their defensive assault against Sendak’s forces. During her evasive maneuvers, Persephone felt a surge of energy pass through her suddenly. For a moment, she could almost see the witch heading towards some type of location and soon felt another surge of energy coming from Shiro’s Black Lion. She snapped out of her revelry as a Galra ship took aim at her with its artillery. Sendak wanted to make himself known before attacking the planet again. “I know your weakness. That you value the lives of others. And I will hammer that weakness until you are crushed beneath my heel.” With that, he fired at the shield, destroying it, and left with an assurance he was victorious. Not one to back down from a fight, Shiro issued a transmission to the commanders, alerting them of Voltron’s presence and their willingness to help. Hunk proposed the idea to mesh the plates back together using the lions and Persephone’s fighter, while Shiro and Pidge operated from the inside to restore power, and using the lions mechanism to weld the shield back together again. Persephone was thoroughly impressed with Hunk’s quick-thinking, and his quick assertion amidst the Galra’s bickering. _He really has changed so much_. However, their success took a quick turn for the worst. Whatever went wrong with Shiro and Pidge’s operations, it led to the shield sending a surge of power towards Allura, who Lance protected in the nick of time. Persephone cried out his name and maneuvered her fighter towards their lions, heart hammering in her chest as she waited for any outcome. Soon the glow from the Red Lion’s gave Persephone the assurance she needed that he survived. _Thank the gods! I couldn’t imagine what I would do if –_. She didn’t want to think the worst. Just as the next radiation wave hit, the plates were aligned, and the plan was successful. Commander Bogh and his people were grateful for Voltron’s actions and expressed it with a hearty “Vrepit Sa!”

Upon returning to Zarkon’s castle to continue their work, Persephone could feel another surge of energy coming from Shiro’s Black Lion. Focusing her undivided attention towards these visions, she could make out the silhouette of a hooded figure in Oriadne. The more she focused, the sooner she realized that Haggar had changed and how she looked more Altean. _Wait, no, not more ALtean! That’s her old self. Who she truly is._ It concerned her why she had these visions, but they were soon forgotten when they returned to Lotor. After extending his formal thanks, and managing to get away from wandering eyes, Lotor pulled Persephone into a comforting hug. “I’m so glad you’re safe. Thank you for coming back to me.” Persephone returned the gesture. “I’ll always return safely back to you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during these times! <3


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! I am back from a much needed hiatus (beach dayz and sunburns, lolz) and have a new chapter to add! This is more of a funny, sweet one for Perse and Lotor!

Seeing as how their previous efforts were thwarted, Persephone was all the more eager to begin efforts towards building the ships that would allow them to cross into the Rift. Unable to sleep the previous night, she was up and prepared to begin her work, racing to the hangar where Lotor was located. Seeing her eagerness so early in the day, Lotor happily greeted her with a twirling embrace. “Well, someone is enthusiastic for the day.” Persephone giggled. “I could not sleep last night, thinking too much about this achievement and what will come of it.” Lotor looked down at her glowing eyes, his hand gently brushing through her hair. “Well, you arrived here before anyone else did, so let’s begin.” After a few moments of meditation, Persephone could feel her hands begin to glow as the power surged through her body. To her, creating this ship felt like forging a weapon, but it was a weapon that would save countless lives. She always knew that Hephaestus had blessed her with gifts similar to his, and now she could do him justice in utilizing her talents for a greater cause. It’s why she was called to become what the humans called an “engineer”, and given her natural penchant for healing, why she wanted to be a biomedical engineer. Her and Lotor’s maneuvers around the ship became like a dance to them, shy glances and smiles exchanged. Lost to her thoughts as she was molding and shaping the ship, Lotor’s voice snapped Persephone out of her revelry. “King Alfor was a gifted alchemist whose unique ability allowed him to infuse the Voltron ore with Altean energy, granting it access to the quintessence field.” Persephone seemed to take a break for a moment to acknowledge him. “Our visit to Oriadne has taught us more than I ever thought possible. Thank you.” Lotor only gave her a warm smile instead. “No, thank you, Persephone. With your help, we can finally supply the Empire with quintessence. You have been key in brining peace to the universe.” The weight of his words were finally starting to dawn on her. “Peace. All my life, my people sought to bring that to all in need of it. It is an honor to continue their legacy, and to do so alongside you.” Lotor was touched by her words as he took a few steps toward her, his hands engulfing hers.

“Like the days of old, our alliance will inspire others.” She didn’t know what compelled her, but Persephone closed her eyes as she stepped forward into his embrace. Lotor could see her reaction, and he was so tempted to reciprocate, to just plant a sweet kiss on her pink lips. It’s safe to assume that was the plan for both of them until they were unexpectedly interrupted by Allura and the other paladins. “You guys starting without us?”, Pidge exclaimed. Allura seemed taken aback by the display and how forward Lotor was being with her fellow teammate, though she wasn’t surprised given his behavior at the Coalition ball. Hearing the rest of her team enter, Persephone still saw she was in Lotor’s grasp. With the blush and heat rising in her cheeks, she quickly leapt away for a moment with a small squeal. “I appreciate you all wanting to help, but I believe this project calls for more _unconventional_ construction methods.” Lotor smirked at her futile attempts. “Infusing the comet ore with Altean alchemy is quite different than simply building a ship.” While the other paladins realized that their skills weren’t needed at the time, Persephone acknowledged Allura. “But, Allura, we’ll need your assistance on this as well. This is your legacy as much as it is Lotor’s.” Allura beamed at Persephone as she made her way up to the platform. He gave her a slightly amused expression at her remark. _He didn’t really think we were going to be completely alone, did he?_ Persephone just scoffed at him. “She’s become my friend, and these powers and the legacy of peace are a part of her and her life.” He never got tired of her feelings for others. _Always the thoughtful one, sweet Perse._

While the trio were set to work, Hunk and Pidge seemed to notice a change in Lance’s demeanor. He was sulkier than usual and wasn’t responding to their antics as he normally did. “Oh, I think lover boy Lance is distracted not thinking about the princess”, Hunk jested towards his friend. “Haha, not funny! And I’m not daydreaming about you. I mean her.” Pidge smirked at the obvious. _You two are so clueless._ “That’s good, because it seems that it’s the other way around. Lotor has a crush on Persephone.” Both boys looked at her as if she had three heads. “WHAT??!!”. Pidge only laughed at their exclamation. “Oh come on! You’re telling me the two of you haven’t noticed it? The eyes he makes at her, the two of them ‘visiting’ back and forth, and how they were at the dance. The whole Coalition saw them!” Despite Pidge’s undeniable accounts, it still hit the boys like a ton of brinks. Persephone was like a big sister to them, more so to Lance, and now this? Despite all that, it didn’t stop Hunk’s jokes. “Well if that’s a thing, they’re probably gonna get married, have some super-powered alien babies, all that stuff.” Pidge couldn’t help but join in as well. “He’s probably proposing right now.” In her best impression, Pidge got down on one knee. “Persephone, will you marry me?” Hunk giggled before he managed his best falsetto with a slight accent. “Oh, Lotor you rogue, of course I will.” Lance was torn between cringing and laughing, until he heard a laugh different from Hunk and Pidge’s. Allura was standing in the doorway, failing at keeping her laugh in. “Well, it seems that Pidge and I are what you call ‘two peas in a pod’.” Hunk and Pidge burst in louder laughs, as Pidge fist-pumped the air. “Yes! Coran needs to pay us now.” Lance was taken aback. “Wait! You guys were betting on this?! And Allura knew?!”

Allura giggled at his confused expression. “I’ve had a few affections here and there for others, so it was obvious how smitten he had taken to her.” Given his feelings for her, Lance couldn’t help but have some hint of wishful thinking. Pidge seemed surprised that Allura was back so quickly. “Ok, now you definitely have to spill. You’re back early, so something must have gone down.” Allura had a mischievous glint in her eye as she gossiped. “Well, for starters, there was that brief display when we surprised them in the hangar. And I noticed a couple of laughs and whispers between them as we worked. I excused myself to take a ‘break’ for their privacy, but it’s refreshing to see them this way. Peace being established, and a newfound love is able to blossom. Plus, if there is a union, I’ll be helping out with the dress and Hunk promised to help with the cake.” Lance couldn’t believe his ears. “Ok that’s it! It’s weird! This feels weird! She’s like a sister to me, guys.” Allura laughed as she gently patted his shoulder. “Lance, we’re only joking a bit.” He couldn’t help but blush at her contact, before rushing off with a quick goodbye. Allura seemed confused at his quick exit. _Wonder what’s gotten into him._ Back in the hangar, the day’s efforts had taken its toll on Persephone as she felt faint after constructing the ship. Lotor noticed her tired demeanor and caught her before she fell. “You’ve done much today, Perse. You need your rest. We’ll continue tomorrow.” She didn’t want to quit now, but she was starting to feel a bit tired. “I guess you’re right, but we still have a long ways to go. Yet, I’m proud of the strides we made today.” Lotor smiled at her as he took her hands in his. “None of this would be possible…without you.” He placed a kiss against her forehead. “Sleep well tonight, love. I’ll look forward to another day tomorrow.”

Persephone felt as if she was floating as she walked back to her quarters. Despite her initial reservations towards Lotor, she felt secure in knowing that they had a genuine bond between the two of them. As she walked into her room, she noticed the mice had joined and seemed excited about something. “Well hello to you all! Seems you got a bath as well.” The mice mimicked some of Lance’s actions to signify who helped them out. “Well that was sweet of Lance. Seems that you had a bonding session with him.” The mice chittered excitedly at the antics they saw with the other paladins. “Oh! They know?! And they placed bets? By the gods, how can I show my face to them again?”, Persephone laughed nervously. The mice also shared a bit of Lance’s confession about Allura. “Oh, he said that? I knew he felt something, with some flirtations here and there. I didn’t think it was that deep _.” Maybe some knowledge I learned from Aphrodite herself may help him._ While Team Voltron maneuvered through the affairs of love and gossip, Keith came face to face with creatures and remnants from Persephone’s kin, the Titan Hyperion. Seeing as his occupation was being the ever watchful pillar in the cosmos, Keith and Krolia encountered the creatures and portals Hyperion had once utilized during his reign. Facing almost long forgotten memories, and addressing their old wounds from the past, they didn’t realize that two years had passed since Keith had last seen his teammates. Yet, that didn’t stop them from their mission of finding the source of mysterious readings. Little did they know that their findings would have long-lasting ramifications throughout the universe, and what it would mean for Voltron.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is doing well! Staying safe and healthy!


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Monsters & Mana chapter! Whoop Whooop!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some team bonding, and then we get to the drama of it all in the next few chapters!

Creating an inter-reality space ship from a comet wasn’t an easy task, but Persephone and Allura managed to do as much as they could for the time being. Seeing that she was spending more time with Lotor, Allura felt happy for her friend. She wouldn’t deny that she initially felt a bit smitten with Lotor at first, but seeing that both Persephone and Lotor had made strides in establishing peaceful relations and with each other, Allura remembered of how there was a time of peace when Honerva and Zarkon were together. She didn’t want to dwell too much on the past as it always led to thoughts of her father, but she knew she at least wanted to talk about this with Persephone. _She’s always been that way about lending a listening ear_. From when they all first met to now, Allura felt she could talk openly with Persephone about professional and sometimes personal matters. Seeing as she was one of the older female members of the team, it just felt refreshing talking to someone who wasn’t just the leader, like how Shiro and Coran were. Despite initial differences, the two women had bonded over some time, and knowing that Persephone came from an ancient culture as well, there was now an understanding.

Day by day, night by night, it seemed as if the ships were just about built and the time to enter the Rift edged closer than ever. However, this day was more for testing the ships and seeing how much progress had been achieved. Expecting to work today, Persephone seemed a bit reluctant at Lotor’s insistence that he run some tests, but it seemed as if her efforts to stay, even just to spend time with him, seemed in vain. “Love, please, I assure you these will be beneficial to us. We may be closer than we think to achieving our goals!” “But shouldn’t we all be here. This does affect all of us…”. He laughed in an exasperated tone before taking her hands in his. “I promise you, it’s just standard testing. If anything occurs, I promise you or Allura will be the first to know. In the meantime, at least give yourself some rest. You’ve been working constantly.” Persephone let out a defeated sigh. “Alright, I concede. But, would it be too much to ask if I saw you later…tonight perhaps?”, she offered with a cheeky grin. Now Lotor really wanted this day to end faster if it meant time with her. He returned her sly smile. “Perhaps indeed. You know I couldn’t pass up an opportunity with you.” Persephone smiled at him as she reluctantly left. As she was leaving, she noticed Allura making her way over towards their building sight. “I guess today is one of those days. Seems we’re at an impasse with the ship for now.” Allura seemed taken aback, given how Lotor was so focused on achieving this mission. “That’s odd. Did he happen to say why?” Persephone just shrugged. “Only that he needed to run some tests with the ship. Oh well, seems we’re on break for a while.” Allura thought now was the perfect time for a small conversation as they were walking away. “Let’s try and find the others to see what their up to. In the meantime, I want to talk to you, Perse. Particularly with your relationship with Lotor.”

At that, Persephone’s eyes slightly bulged as she slightly blushed at the insinuation. Allura seemed to take notice and brushed it off with a laugh. “Oh no, I didn’t mean it like that, but I wanted to say that I’m happy for you two. It seems he’s quite taken with you, and politics aside, I see it as a new beginning for what we are trying to achieve.” Persephone appreciated the sentiment behind Allura’s words, and returned it with a hug. “Thank you, Allura. That really means a lot, especially coming from you.” As the two women made their way farther down the wall, they met up with Lance who was in search of the others as well. “You guys seen Hunk or Pidge?” At that, he got his answer when loud frustrated screams from Coran came from the other side of the door near them. Allura addressed them in a concerned voice. “Is everything all right? We heard yelling.” Coran turned towards the three of them with a cheerful smile, holding up some type of manual. “We’re playing Monsters and Mana, just a fun game.” Lance wasn’t entirely convinced. “I don’t know. How can a game that needs a book be fun?” Still, Coran was undeterred in his efforts to get them to play, recalling his playing of the game before and the rules that one followed, with a certain childlike gleam in his eye. Persephone thought this sounded like a fun pastime, similar to how she used to play ancient chess before. “I’ll play. Lotor’s busy handling certain responsibilities, but this sounds interesting.” Allura joined in as well. “I’ll join in as well. Plus it sounds fun!” Persephone noticed a slight change in Lance’s demeanor as Allura decided to stay. “Yeah, I already worked out today, so I guess I don’t have anything going on.” With that, three were added to the party as they made their characters’ debuts.

Allura made her debut as the mystical archer Valayun, Lance as the ever mischievous thief Pike, and Persephone as the daring mage Atalanta. Yet, she couldn’t help but fawn a bit over Lance’s design. “Aww Lance, your character is adorable! You remind me of the sly foxes we had on our island!” Being a paladin and choosing what he thought was a rogue thief, Lance was not quite expecting “adorable” to describe his character. Nevertheless, the paladins and Persephone enjoyed their game and just enjoying some good-natured fun, something they hadn’t indulged in for so long. It was a game filled with twists and turns, mostly on Coran’s side given his sly chuckles and his grand revelation of his true character at the end, but Persephone enjoyed herself with her friends and colleagues. _Recreation or not, my sisters would enjoy this. They would have made a battle out of it._ By the time the game was over, everyone felt their spirits lifted, especially Hunk and Pidge, seeing as how the game somehow provided a solution with their problem with the Castle’s barriers. Shiro felt his head cleared and a great deal of stress lifted from his shoulders. Also, it was refreshing for both Persephone and Allura. “That was incredible! It’s crazy how long we’ve been playing. Seemed like no time at all.” Lance seemed a bit relaxed around Allura, his previous nerves gone before. “Yeah, we have a pretty good time together, don’t we?” At that instant, Persephone saw her screen flash in front of her. She pressed the receptor only for it to open to a smiling Lotor. “Persephone, I have grand news. The ship is ready.” She was thrilled at receiving the grand news and passed it along to Allura. Their goal seemed closer now than ever by merely a few days.

Lotor was finally relieved to tell them that the ships were tested and deemed fit for entering the Rift. Both of the women were ecstatic, with Allura calling for plans with Voltron on their plan of action for the Rift and Persephone being pulled into a celebratory hug with Lotor. She never took him for one to be so open with his emotions, but she wasn’t complaining as he smiled at her in his embrace. “We’ve finally done it, love. In the next few days, we will have unlimited quintessence for the Empire and an end to this insane war. And you stood by my side through it all.” Persephone took his hand and let it cradle her cheek as she closed her eyes. “I never doubted you for a second.” Given their height difference, Lotor felt a surge of pride, love, and protectiveness as he noticed how small her face seemed in comparison to just his hand. She slowly re-opened her eyes, looking up at him with a sly smile. “Now, as I recall, you promised a little bit of alone time.” He couldn’t say no to her, especially with those eyes piercing his heart. They sat under the stars that night, just enjoying each other’s company on the bridge, and talked about anything and everything imaginable. Persephone mentioned how her people always admired the heavens and the cosmos, in search of the gods and how to understand them. For the first time, Lotor felt secure with her. He had loved before and allowed very few in close to him, but it always came at a price in the end. He didn’t want those thoughts to invade his mind again, but seeing as how his lover was half deity and she helped him this far, he saw this as a literally godsend and wanted to be closer to her. He told her snippets of his childhood, from the rigorous training under Dayak to the refuge he sought with his only true friend, Kova. If it was anyone else, words of pity and comfort would fall flat on his ears, but with her it was different. He also revealed snippets of his artistry skills, seeing as he apparently had drawn a small portrait of her from the Coalition Ball. “Oh Lotor, it’s beautiful! I admire your attention to detail.” He could feel himself slightly blush at her words. “I couldn’t resist. That was the night I realized I was falling for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during this time! Hopefully this story offers a nice enough distraction.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2 parter for the Rift chapter! and some slight smut!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to divvy up the whole Rift scenario into two parts, seeing as there will be some bittersweet moments to indulge in, even just for a little while.

The day had finally come. They were going to bring this war to an end, and bring the long-awaited peace. After much discussion, Allura and Persephone came to an agreement. Seeing as how Allura was an important figurehead with Voltron and the Coalition, Persephone was willing to enter the Rift on her behalf. “I know that you want to complete your father’s legacy, but you’re too important to all of us. I don’t want to take the risk of potentially losing you if something were to go wrong, especially now that you are growing with power.” Allura was set on entering the Rift as well, but knew Persephone was speaking from a place of genuine concern. Ultimately she conceded, and it was decided that Persephone and Lotor would enter the Rift. “Are you sure as well, Persephone? We can’t risk losing you either.” She pulled Allura into a quick hug before her departure. “If I die, it was for a noble cause. An Amazon’s honor to lay down her life for the good of all.”

Persephone raced down to the hangar to meet with Lotor, armed and ready for her mission. Lotor was just as eager as she was. “I’ve waited an eternity for this. It means so much to share this with you.” Persephone offered a small smile in return. “We’ve done everything we can to prepare us for this moment. We’re ready.” They entered the Sincline ship, and powered it for their departure. Meanwhile, the rest of Team Voltron watched in visible concern and consideration. Hunk and Coran expressed at how this all seemed so impossible, but Allura didn’t want to hear it. She needed to believe that this would go well, for herself, for her father, and for the legacy of what was left of Altea. “They’ll be fine. I know it. And besides, we’ve traveled through the quintessence field before to another reality.” Her voice spoke of confidence, but her heart beat at an intense pace. Soon the count down began, and the ship disappeared into the Rift.

Shortly after Lotor and Persephone entered the Rift, the Castle’s alarms went off, signifying an oncoming presence. Shiro called for the shields to be pulled up, and pulled up the screen to identify the ship. Coran and Allura gasped at what they saw. “That…that can’t be. It’s an Altean pod! A really old one!” Allura felt a wave of nostalgia hit her as Shiro called for the ship to identify itself. _It can’t be? How is it even possible a ship from before is present?_ At that signal, Keith’s face appeared on screen to alert his presence. Noting that Persephone was missing, his mind raced. He wasted no time in getting down to business. “Where’s Lotor?!” “In the quintessence field.” His eyes he widened in horror. As soon as he landed the pod, he wasted no time in pleasantries, wanting to avoid the worst to come. “We need to stop Lotor! He’s been lying to all of us!” Allura was shocked at such an accusation and confronted Keith. “Lotor has been assisting us to bringing an end to this war! We have the same goal as him.” Keith looked at her forlornly. “You don’t understand Allura.” At that statement, Krolia and Romelle had exited the pod with Keith’s beast. When Allura saw the other Altean, it was as if time had stopped for her. _She and Coran weren’t alone? There were more of her people out there?_ Keith suggested an attack, but refrained once the team alerted him of Persephone being in the Rift as well. He couldn’t take the risk of her getting caught in the crossfire.

After a brief introduction of Krolia to the others, Allura wanted to know how an Altean was present in their midst. Gathering her courage, Romelle told her tale of how she came from a planet where thousands of other Alteans were hidden, where Lotor created a safe haven for their culture to flourish. They were hidden from the eyes of Zarkon for so many years due to Lotor’s assistance, and they honored him for their efforts. The next part was hard for Romelle, as she swallowed past the lump in her throat to continue her story. She recalled as Lotor announced a second colony, to which she had lost her family members and other loved ones, seeing as they were “tested” strong enough to make this supposedly mysterious trip. When Romelle revealed how Bandor escaped and how Lotor tried to cover it up, Keith and Krolia’s arrival, and the horrific discovery of the Alteans and their drained bodies, Allura’s heart shattered. All around her, it became nothing but white noise, a gradual ringing. Lotor’s betrayal, his talks of peace, ending the war, it was all a lie? A soul-shattering scream was torn from Allura as she sunk down to her knees, sobbing in hysterics as she held onto herself. Coran raced over to her side, and collected her into his arms. She held onto him tightly, letting her tears and rage flow from her.

“That monster! Liar! Murderer!” She gasped in her sobs, trying to gain back as much breath as she could. It hurt to talk, to breathe, to do anything. “He lied to us! He manipulated us!” She didn’t care how she appeared right now, she just wanted to release all her sorrow. Her eyes widened in horror as she finally realized. “Coran, he has her. Perse’s by herself with him!” As Coran comforted her, the screen of the Castle beeped, signaling Lotor and Persephone’s return. “They’re back!” Coran exclaimed. Romelle felt her anger return, knowing she would finally come face to face with the man who took that which she loved. “What are you waiting for?! Open fire!” “We can’t! Our teammate is with him.” Coran felt his anger surge as well, but hesitantly agreed as well. “As long as Persephone is with him, we cannot risk any attack on them.” Allura grimaced at the situation. She hated him. He lied to them, to her, and now he had their friend. In her icy tone, she exclaimed what needed to be done. “We can’t do anything yet until Persephone is safely away from him. Once she’s secure, we will take Lotor down!” Shiro acknowledged her statement with a nod.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Stay safe and healthy in the world!


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's the smut part! Honestly, I tried to capture the tense mood and situation that comes up next because it will be an ANGST chapter!   
> Oh Lotor, why would you hurt Perse that way?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is part two for the Rift chapter! And I kinda lied in the previous chapter update: it's actually a 3-parter for the Rift.

Traveling into the Rift gave Persephone an adrenaline high and filled her with an emotion she hadn’t felt in so long: fear. She was afraid? She was afraid. As the countdown began as they entered the Rift, a thousand thoughts ran through her mind. _What if we fail? What if we can’t harvest this energy? What if…?_ As her mind ran through all the scenarios, Persephone finally realized that the ship was engulfed in light as it slightly shook. They had finally done it and entered the Rift. She gasped in amazement, admiring the orbs of light circling around their craft and how pure this energy was. “It’s amazing! It’s as if my spirit, my very being, is more alive.”, Persephone exclaimed. Lotor felt a surge of pride at his achievement, and his heart skipped at Persephone’s exclamation. “I can feel the quintessence coursing through me.”

Despite all his mixed emotions, he felt as if weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Everything: his father’s legacy, his mother’s legacy, all of it was finally his, and he was able to secure it with his allies and the woman he loved. “Readings are beyond anything I could have imagined. What we do here today will change the course of the universe forever.” Persephone admired the effect this raw energy was having on her, but that’s where she caught herself. “Something so raw, so powerful, it can easily corrupt someone if it was collected in excess.” Lotor noted her voice thick with emotion as she expressed her concerns. He slowly got up from his seat as he made his way to her. She wasn’t expecting him to come towards her, nor was she expecting to see him without his helmet, as she slightly jumped when he came to the side of her seat. “We won’t let that happen, Persephone. I swear it.” The look in his eyes were intense, a look that seemed so different than their past encounters when it was just the two of them.

Persephone took her helmet off to get a better look at his face. This was a rare look that she hadn’t seen frequently before. It was a look of passion mixed with a slight forlornness. “I don’t know why this quintessence is having an effect on me, but it compels me.” She hung onto every word he said. “I love you, and I realize now that I always felt drawn to you. I know I’ve expressed my gratitude for your assistance, but this…you’ve been an advocate, confidant, friend, and so much more to me this entire time.” With that, he cradled her face and planted his burning kiss onto her lips. Persephone was taken aback by his confession, and his kiss, but was equally compelled to reciprocate. She lifted herself from her seat and returned Lotor’s kiss, lacing her fingers through his hair. They each other closer, wanting to feel and grasp at each other’s bodies. Lotor’s gasping moans filled Persephone with a burning desire, as she wanted to hear more of him.

In a flash of fingers, limbs, and scrambling hands, the two passioned individuals bared themselves to each other. For Persephone, she had an inkling in her heart that Lotor had always cared for her, but to hear it put into words sent a thrill down her spine. For Lotor, he felt torn between this being a dream or where he was given the second chance at a love again. He knew he had expressed his emotions before in front of her, but this felt different for him. He felt as if he was finally able to bare his soul to her. As they admired each other’s bodies, Persephone could see Lotor was hesitant. She softly kissed over his face, reassuring him that she wanted this and she wanted to share in the intimacy of it all. Her hand snaked down to his hardened member, gently stroking. Lotor gasped at how soft her hands were and his heightened emotions only set his nerves on fire. Persephone’s other free hand took his as she kissed gently against his hand, his fingers, and his claws.

Lotor’s breath hitched as Persephone continued her ministrations, heart skipping a few beats as she admired his unretracted claws. What was a mockery to others, it was a sign of beauty to her. Every kiss, every stroke, every whispered affection, it brought out a side to him that he never knew. As they laid gently on the floor of the craft, he shivered as she straddled him, her wet cunt rubbing against his cock. Persephone admired his chiseled body, rubbing her hands up and down the scars that decorated his body, telling the story of his struggles. She was enamored with this man, and she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Without hesitation, she slowly lowered herself onto him, both gasping once they were filled with each other. She lowered down to kiss up his chest, neck, until she was met with yellow and blue eyes, glistening with unshed tears. Persephone shifted to kiss his ears, and was met with a hiss of lust at how sensitive they were. Lotor was already more heightened than normal, but he felt a part of him ascend as she whispered in a husky tone, “Make love to me.”

Lotor quickly nodded at her statement as Persephone began to move her hips, rising and falling in a deliberate motion. It was becoming too much for him, and Lotor quickly placed one hand around her hip area while his other grasped at her breasts. Wanting to feel this union with him, Persephone moved her hands to where he placed them on her body. It felt like pure bliss to the two of them, her hips driving him mad while Lotor’s thick length filled her completely as it hit her sweet spots. The entirety of the situation weighed on Lotor as his moans turned into whimpers, whining calls of her name as she rode him into oblivion. “Ah….please….love, don’t stop! I’m….I’m soo…close!” Persephone smiled down at him, gripping tighter onto his hands. “I…know….me too!” Persephone picked up the pace of her hips, slamming down harder and clenching onto him tighter with her walls. After a while, she threw her head back in wanton moan, back curving into a C-shape as her vision was blinded for a while from the intensity of her peak. Lotor followed shortly after, his rumbled moans giving way to higher-pitched ones mixed with his sobs. Seeing the display of her body, and how intense his emotions were, he didn’t feel ashamed as a few tears slipped from his eyes.

Persephone looked down at Lotor, admiring his flushed face, and how he was an unabashed mess of intimacy, sensuality, and passion. She slowly rose her hips to get off him, and he gasped at the sudden loss of contact. The betrayal in his eyes quickly vanished as Persephone laid down to his side, brushing aside the mussed hair from his face and gently caressing his face as well. Lotor turned over to where he laid on top of her, holding on tightly as if he felt she would slip away all of a sudden. They held each other close, slowly rocking together as they came down from the high. She didn’t know what compelled her, but Persephone pressed kisses to his forehead, and uttered a prayer of protection from any harm. She didn’t know if her divine family could hear her, but she didn’t care. Lotor began to nuzzle into her neck, face, and hair as a low purring sound emitted from his body. He felt Persephone’s body tense up in confusion, but explained himself to her. “Apologies, love…it’s probably different from what your used to.” “Do all the Galra purr like that?” He tried to avoid eye contact with her as his skin blushed a raspberry color. “It’s common when the Galra decide to take a lover….and mate for life.” Persephone’s heartbeat intensified as his words weighed on her. Though he seemed embarrassed at such a huge revelation, she gathered him in her arms again. “I’m glad you chose me. I want that, a life with you.”

At her words, Lotor kissed her out of love and gratitude. They stayed in each other’s arms for a while before getting dressed again. After collecting samples of the quintessence, Persephone felt such a thrill. Their mission was a success and now she would return to Voltron successful and with her mate. Mate. She would never tire of saying that word, to him or to herself. As they docked inside the Castle’s hangar, Lotor assisted her out of the craft. Legs still reeling from earlier activities, Lotor caught her in his arms. As the platform to the ship lowered them down, he sweetly held her hand in his right at his heart. “We accomplished something amazing today, and it would’ve never happened had it not been for you.” Persephone’s smile countered his expression. “And I am forever grateful I experienced it with you.” They exchanged a celebratory kiss in the heat of their moment, unaware of the heartache and betrayal that laid ahead behind closed doors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy in the world!


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All I can say for this chapter is: AAANNNNNGGGSSSTTTT!!!

As Persephone and Lotor walked into the Castle’s main area, they were met with a grim sight. Everyone’s face was in a hardened stare, and Allura stood front and center with daggers in her eyes and tears streaming down her face. She saw how all the paladins were tense, bodies poised to strike at any minute. “What’s going on here?” At that, she noticed Keith and a female Galra point their weapons at them, with Lance aiming his in Lotor’s direction. “Perse, step away from Lotor!” She was shocked to see such a reaction from her team, and was determined to get some answers. Yet, she wouldn’t allow that to happen if harm was to fall on Lotor. She stood in front of him with her arms blocking any attack that may fall on him. “I will not do anything until you tell me what in the hell is going on here?” Allura stepped forward, body trembling with rage, as she pointed a shaking finger at Lotor. “He’s done nothing but lie to us, Persephone.”

At that, Romelle alerted Lotor and Persephone of her presence. “Lotor is a monster and has been harvesting Altean quintessence for generations! You killed my brothers and thousands of others” Persephone’s head turned toward where the blonde woman stood, and now understood what Allura had meant from earlier. _An Altean?! Here?! How is this possible? I thought only Allura and Coran were the only ones left?_ She then turned to Lotor, with a look of shock and horror. He only shrunk into himself as he tried to avoid her gaze. Pidge made her presence known as well, expressing her disgust at Lotor’s lies. He tried to deflect the accusations and slander thrown his way, not wanting Persephone to hear of his past mistakes. “You know nothing of what you speak.”

The pit in her stomach filled with dread, and her heart raced with anticipation. Persephone didn’t want to assume the worst of what was said, but she tried to at least listen to them. “Lotor, what are they talking about?” His face was filled with hesitation and a slight sadness as he tried to explain things to Persephone. “Please, listen to me. I’ve dedicated my life to preserving Altean culture. Now that we have unlocked the source to unlimited power, everyone who would have been hunted down can now live in peace. Isn’t that what you said to me before? A philosopher king who makes the tough decisions for the good of all?” The more he spoke, the more she felt the dread overcoming her. _Please, no! Don’t let it be true!_ At that point, Persephone knew she had to figure out the truth for herself. Much to the shock of everyone, she made her way over to Romelle in quick strides, taking Romelle’s face into her hands. Persephone could tell that the handprints on her body were glowing, given the shocked expression on Romelle’s face, yet she searched within the memories of the woman’s mind. It was trick she had learned from brethren she shared with Zeus, the Muses and the Titaness Mnemosyne. Much to Persephone’s horror, she saw the hidden chambers and the bodies of the Alteans who were sacrificed for a noble cause.

She immediately released Romelle’s face, and double-backed with haggard cries of sorrow and realization. Her lips curled in anger at Lotor, horrified at his actions and how he withheld this from her. The look on her face broke his heart, but Lotor tried to calm her down. “Persephone, please, do not let this ruin everything we’ve worked for. Think of what we experienced in the quintessence field.” _How dare he use that against me? And of all times and places?_ He tried to grab her hands into his, but his attempts were feeble against the Amazon. “Don’t touch me! How could you do that?! I trusted you!” “Perse, please, trust me now!” At that, she pushed him away with greater force. “I will never trust you again! I hate you!” At that exclamation, Shiro and Allura rushed forward, each grabbing Lotor’s arms as they pulled him away to hold him down. Allura sneered at him in disgust. “You stay way from her!” Rage and pain coursing through her body, Persephone made one last request on his behalf. “We’ll put him back in the holder cell, as reminder of how we almost came close to danger.” Lotor tried to offer her a pleading look, but the desperate sadness in his eyes was met with a stone cold stare of resilience. Just a few minutes ago, they had pledged themselves to each other as mates, and now that trust was gone between Lotor and Persephone.

Suddenly, the alarms of the Castle rang, as the main screen displayed two of Lotor’s generals breaching the hangar. At that moment, Shiro let out a blood curdling yell as he crouched down, holding his head in his hands, letting go of Lotor’s arm. The eerie voice that had been haunting him urged him on, and he could hear nothing but that horrid voice, amidst his teammates’ concerns. Despite that, Voltron split up to secure the ships from being stolen while Lance, Allura, and Persephone tried to secure Lotor. Hunk rushed over to check on his teammate only to be grabbed and thrown across the room right into Coran. Shiro rushed over to Lance in his ferocity and disarmed him as well. He made quick work of Allura, Persephone, and Romelle, knocking them out in a matter of seconds before finally knocking Lotor unconscious as well. Even though he was confused and fearful at the situation, he lost thoughts before losing consciousness were that of Persephone. _Please let her be alright._

Back at the hangar, the two generals managed to get the ships into their grasps and released a volley of firepower, allowing Shiro to escape with Lotor in tow. Realizing that Voltron was needed once again to fight against their now former ally and his generals, Keith called for the team’s formation and Persephone followed behind them with her fighter craft as well. Everything felt so unfamiliar to her, as if they were now back to the beginning of when they first encountered Lotor. She prepared for battle, but Persephone felt a bit of her soul that used to be afire with passion, slowly start to wilt away. The universe needed her now, but Persephone could feel herself just going through the motions.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post Angst-Revelation feels and more of Lotor's POV after the drama that went down with Persephone.

Persephone and her team launched their attack against Lotor’s generals. They fought fiercely, and given the technological advantages of the other ships, it was a close battle. As the battle raged on, the generals’ ships escaped through a wormhole that seemed to be tainted with the witch’s magic.

Much to the paladins’ shock, they debated whether or not to pursue, but Keith ultimately decided they would follow, for Shiro. “You all know he would never give up on us. We can’t give up on him!” They persevered farther but it proved to be taxing on Voltron, due to the damage they sustained.

Persephone noticed her teammates lagging from their fight, and knew that they all wouldn’t continue this part of their fight together. “Keith, you have to break off! I know we want to do this together, but he’ll listen to you the most! GO! NOW!” Keith knew she was right, and gave his last order before crossing through the shrinking wormhole. “Do it!”

Once the paladins broke apart, Keith sped forward through the portal, only to be met with the intimidating sight of the rival ships from the Fires of Purification. For the one paladin, he proved himself and managed to make his way to the main ship that held Shiro.

Meanwhile, Lotor had finally come to after slipping into unconsciousness. When he realized that Shiro had been the one to take him, he realized what had happened, and almost defeated. _Another one of the witch’s ploys, and now she was getting what she wanted_. He grimaced at the thought what was in store, but he did remember one thing: Persephone.

He at least wished that with being knocked unconscious, he could wipe away the recent memory he had of her. The look of utter betrayal in her eyes, the tears down her face, and how she would most likely not trust him again. Ezor and Zethrid led him away to the witch, and Keith and Shiro departed for their battle.

Back at the Castle of the Lions, Persephone wished things could have gone better. Aside from the fact that it was now the sight of where Lotor’s betrayal broke her and Allura’s trust, but now it was suffering from the generals’ attack and quickly losing power. Allura’s efforts to sustain the Castle proved vain until the power ultimately gave out.

Pidge’s efforts were in vain, but her skills proved futile against the raging virus in the Castle’s system. Not one to go down without a fight, she raced away from the Castle’s main area, a last idea to help their situation. Hunk noticed his friend running off. “Wait, where are you going?” “No time!” Persephone only hoped something good could come from this.

Heart hammering in his chest, Lotor kept his poker face. He would not give this witch, the one who tormented him for 10,000 years, the damned satisfaction of any reaction. Maybe it was the foolish part of him, but he allowed himself the small sliver of hope, that if he survived this, maybe it would prove to Persephone his intentions were never to hurt or cause mistrust. Once Haggar removed her hood, it was Lotor’s worst fear that finally stood in front of him: all this time, the person he idealized the most was the one who caused him the worst kind of pain.

Her rationalizations were nothing but shallow words to him, all of his scarring memories from childhood to the burning of the planet where he tried to begin anew with a kind soul. He couldn’t bear to hear her words anymore as he cut her off. “Enough! My mother ceased to exist when Honerva drew her last breath. Do not believe for a moment that I would ever accept you as kin.”

This was not the response she expected, and in her arrogance, Honerva only grimaced at his dissent. “The end is near, witch. I know you can sense it. If you beg for your life now, maybe I will take pity on you when the time comes.” Honerva knew she wouldn’t win this one with her son, and offered her last words, given what she had come to know about her son. “And what do you think will become of your future with that woman? You think she will be as merciful to you as I am. Take him away.”

He snarled at Honerva’s insinuation of Persephone, but set his plan in motion with Axca. Instead, his most trusted general took aim and fired at the witch before she disappeared. Much to the confusion of Ezor and Zethrid, they realized that Axca still had their best interests at heart and they joined with her and Lotor. Reunited with his generals, Lotor set a course for the Castle of the Lions.

He knew the witch would be a fool to attack Voltron head on, but he wanted to explain himself, and he wanted to see Persephone again, unharmed and at least willing to hear him out. Little did he know, Honerva had reconvened with those with the Fires of Purification and set her own plans in motion. She needed reinforcements and set the beginning steps of her plan into motion.

The discovery Pidge had made back at the Castle only drove the stake in deeper. Apparently, Shiro’s arm was synced in with the Castle’s data, thus the cause of the virus that compromised the ship. It also caused the teleduv to reach its critical level, threatening to destroy them all. Luckily Pidge was able to counter it, before revealing the secret of her emergency failsafe, in the case should they ever be compromised Persephone was just as shocked as Allura and the rest of the team, and felt her heart ache with pain and betrayal at the reveal. _Is Shiro truly lost to us, a stranger? Could we ever trust him again?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is doing well and staying safe!


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hooo boy! The angst is piling on! Next chapter will be THAT fateful one, but it will be different and it sets the stage for the next half of the story that will be intense!

Despite the grave situation of the Castle, Hunk, Coran, and Pidge tried to innovate their way to at least get the system rebooted. Coran managed to give a quick run down of the situation to Persephone and Allura via intercom. "Allura, begin the reboot sequence." No response. Persephone managed to look over at her friend, who had a forlorn distant expression painted on her face.

“Allura, can you hear me? Is this thing on mute?” Persephone knew that this wasn’t the right time for poking and prodding, given what Allura knew of her people now. “Yes, Coran. We’ll manage to get that system rebooted again.” Persephone stepped forward and began to robotically reboot the system. She was just as hurt as Allura, but wanted to give her time to at least process everything.

She knew that keeping a brave face was important at this time. Unfortunately, the reboot had failed, deepening the already disheartened environment. Krolia rushed down to assist with repairs along with Romelle, leaving Persephone, Allura and Lance alone. Rather than leaving it unaddressed, Persephone took charge of the issue, and gently placed her hand on Allura’s shoulder. “Allura, it’s ok to be upset. You’re entitled to every single one of your emotions and I am so, soo sorry this happened to you”, she said with her voice wavering.

Allura turned to her friend, eyes glistening. “I’m just so angry with myself, Perse, for allowing this to happen. I played right into Lotor’s hands and I fear this may have placed us in a dire situation. How can the coalition be expected to trust me if I can’t trust myself?” Persephone couldn’t bear to hear Allura tearing herself down with her voice breaking, pulling her into a tight embrace.

She saw her as an equal in leadership and battle prowess, and to hear this broke her heart. “No! You can’t think about yourself that way. You’re not alone in this, and I don’t want to hear you blaming yourself. I was foolish to trust him and think that all cards were laid on the table for this.” Allura sobbed into her friend’s shoulder, allowing herself at least the cathartic release of her emotions.

As both women tried to comfort each other, Lance slowly made his way over before pulling both of them into a hug as well. He knew what his personal feelings were before, but now, he knew that it needed to be put aside for his friends. They had always been his top priority since becoming paladin, and he wasn’t going to let them down now.

Suddenly, the three of them were alerted by an incoming call from Keith. Much to the shock of Persephone, he revealed that the “Shiro” who had attacked them wasn’t even theirs, just a clone. She didn’t know how to react but was shaken again by this new revelation. _Can anything else be added more to our misery?_ Almost as if he could hear her thoughts, Keith added on to his message, alerting them that Lotor and the rest of the ships were en route.

Though he was too far away, Keith knew he had to get all of them as soon as possible. Seeing Persephone’s broken face made this all the more personal to Keith. Shiro had been a big brother to him, and Perse was like a big sister, someone who’s words and presence brought him peace. While the team gathered and prepared for their encounter with Lotor, Persephone prepared herself emotionally and mentally, for what was to come.

As she dressed, she discarded the flight suit she wore into the Rift with Lotor. Looking at it now, it reminded her of the pain he unleashed on her. Making love and pledging herself as a mate to him now filled her with sorrow instead of joy. It was almost as if she wanted the Mother Gaia to swallow her up, to escape the torment she felt in her soul.

Lotor was deep in thought as he and his generals made their way back to the Castle. He knew what possibly laid ahead for him, but he had to explain himself to Voltron, especially to Persephone. What the witch said terrified him, despite the façade he kept, but he knew he at least had to see if she was unharmed or at least willing to listen.

Once he arrived to the opening of the Rift that he and Persephone had traveled through, he noticed all of the lions had assembled together to destroy the gate. He even saw the jet that had quickly turned around to point its firearms at him. He didn’t have to take a second guess to know who it was, yet he still wanted to make an effort, for her. For the future he wanted with her.

The thoughts from their encounter in the Rift still burned brightly into his mind as he managed to patch through to Persephone and Allura, and the rest of Voltron. “I know what you all must think of me now that you know my past. It doesn’t have to change our future together. The truth is, I want to harness the power of the quintessence field to better the universe, just as I said. Nothing has changed.” Persephone couldn’t bear to hear more of this faux speech. It was just as it was before, when he was first brought to them.

Allura was the first to cut him off. “You enslaved countless Alteans! Harnessed their life source for your personal gain! How many lives did you destroy?” “Allura, I –." Persephone interjected in as well, equally incensed. “You don’t get to make any rationalizations for this! You withheld this from us! Me! You lied by omission!” He could hear the tears in her voice, and wanted nothing more to reassure her. He took a deep breath before choosing his next words. 

“It’s true. Many Alteans perished in my quest to unlock the mysteries of quintessence. But I protected thousands more, and I rescued their culture, our culture, Allura. Persephone, if you can find it in your heart –.” She couldn’t bear to hear anymore. “You’re breaking my heart! You’re going down a path I can’t follow! You still took that of innocent lives!”

Yet his resolve remained in his desperate pleas. “Perse, love, you must understand I’ve given everything I have to plumb the depths of knowledge to unlock these mysteries. Please, we’ve come too far together. We’re on the same side.” Enraged at how he still tried to worm his way into her good graces, Allura fired back at Lotor and the rest of them with her lion. “She is not on your side, and neither are we!” The generals prepared for a counter-attack before Lotor’s panicked voice held them off. “Hold your fire!”

“Stop! Persephone, you and I hold knowledge to unlocking quintessence and of the Altean culture, alongside Allura. I fell in love with you. We’re meant to be together, my feelings were always true to you. And I know you feel the same.”

Persephone felt as if she had been punched in the gut. “You dare try and use that against me, as leverage?!”, she managed to growl out through gritted teeth. Allura retorted back at his statements. “You don’t deserve to speak to her that way, or speak to her at all! You betrayed and used us. You’re more like Zarkon than I could have ever imagined!”

At those words, Lotor felt himself transported back to every point in his life where every retort and ridicule was thrown at him. It hadn’t affected him before, but this, this was different. He could have Allura and Voltron, the Coalition, the Galra, anybody, turn their backs to him. But to lose Persephone in the same day? It cut him to his core. He remembered how he would weep himself to sleep as a youth, and he felt those old habits rearing their ugly heads, but he was past that. If they didn’t care, if she wasn’t going to care, nothing was worth saving anymore.

He retorted back in an icy tone, one that Persephone had never heard before. “What about your father? He may have been a master engineer, but Alfor was too weak to defend his home world. I’m the one who had to step up and save our entire race.” Heart hammering in her chest, Persephone could only imagine what Allura was feeling at the insult to her father.

“Who are you to question my tactics in bringing peace and prosperity to the universe?” _She told me she loved me, yet she takes their side. We loved each other, kissed each other, everything! Why, sweet Perse, why?! Do all deities toy with the emotions of the ones they claim to love? If she wants the monster and tyrant, she’ll have it.”_ Though he felt his heart shatter, all Lotor wanted to do was lash out in his grief, as he gave the command. “Destroy the lions.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is staying healthy and well during this time! <3


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2nd half of their fight, and next chapter will be the suspenseful one in the Rift!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy out there!

At his command, Axca, Zethrid, and Ezor launched their attacks against the paladins. Persephone saw Allura take charge at Lotor, but he briefly countered against her as he made his way to her. Persephone dodged him and took fire at his craft. She did so without hesitation, and while it hurt her heart, she couldn’t let her emotions shroud her duty to the universe. She drove on, firing and out maneuvering Lotor and his generals whenever she could.

Persephone didn’t realize she was screaming in her rage and pain until she finally felt her throat becoming hoarse from it all. Amidst their fighting, Coran and Krolia tried to offer a respite in what seemed a hopeless situation. With a homemade remedy and some luck, Coran was able to restart one of the engines of the Castle, with a bit of some mishaps. Persephone noticed how the Castle almost crashed into everyone, until she snapped back to the situation at hand as Lotor fired at her and Allura.

He fought so viciously, probably more so than when she first encountered him. Back in his ship, Lotor just wanted to lash out. He was too numb for tears now, but in his anger, he wanted her to feel the pain he did. Was it cruel? Was it just? He didn’t care. “Once I wipe out Voltron, I’m going to start a new Altea! An Altea that will never know of Princess Allura, King Alfor, or you! Nor will they know of the Lions of Voltron!”

_He's gone mad. After all that we’ve done for him? After all that he and I have been through?_ “All they’ll know is me, their great leader!” Persephone saw his attacks grow more reckless as he charged onward. He kept his intercom on, wanting both her and Allura to hear what he wanted to say. His laugh sent chills down her spine, the once gentle one he graced her with in private was becoming more and more ludicrous as the fight dragged on. “I’m ready to wipe the universe clean of all my enemies: Voltron, Haggar, and the rest of the Galra!”

Persephone had an equally horrified expression on her face as the generals did. She noticed how his generals were easily displaced, how he just cast them aside. Though she wouldn’t consider his generals as allies, Persephone was appalled at how fickle Lotor was with just throwing them aside, and she felt pity for them.

Persephone felt her jaw drop in shock as she saw the other two ships that held the generals re-assemble themselves into a serpentine-shape, blades looking to that of quills on the back of its head. The rest of the team couldn’t believe their eyes either. “What is that?!” “He’s created his own Voltron!”

Allura was as equally horrified as her friends were. “That is why he was using us! Perse and I helped him build it!” With his full mecha on display, Lotor charged towards them. His anger, laughter, all of it was replaced with the shell of the one Persephone had come to care for. "This ends now." 

Lotor’s Sincline broke through the team’s formations, thrashing them around as if they were mere child’s toys. Coran tried his best to help them, firing directly at Lotor, only for the attack to be deflected back at the Castle. At first she was hopeful he would be disarmed, but Persephone just felt her stomach sink farther down in her body.

_We built this together. Me, him, and Allura? Did he do this when I wasn’t there? Was all of it, every conversation and smile, just a façade to hide this?_ After Lotor had deflected the Castle’s attack, he continued his assault on Voltron. Lion thrown against Lion, and Persephone’s jet thrown against the Blue Lion.

She could see Lotor preparing for the final blow. Though she knew that the magic used to create his ship couldn’t destroy her, Persephone felt a painful rage at what it might do to the others. She thought it cruel and vindictive, to harm those she considered as her second family. Just as it seemed all was lost, Keith and the Black Lion managed to catch the Sincline off guard and parry against his attack.

Persephone and the rest of the team were surprised at how fast Keith had arrived, but the pleasantries were cut short. Keith gave the signal to assemble Voltron, and prepare for their fight. As she stood with her team, Persephone couldn’t help but feel an indifference to Lotor. She knew of the feelings she had for him, but she wouldn’t admit it. All she felt in her heart right now was indifference and disappointment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wash your hands! Stay safe! Wear a mask!


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welp, here's the Rift angst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with this chapter, and the next one, this concludes the events of S6 for now. After this, there will be a major detour of certain events that happen in S7 & 8, especially for Perse.

Both Voltron and the Sincline stood at a standstill with each other, waiting for the other to attack. Keith quickly alerted Coran of an incoming pod, as it flew out of the Black Lion. As Persephone saw the pod flying back to the Castle, her heart lurched at who was inside.

_Please tell me that’s our Shiro. That he’s back with us._ She wasn’t able to dwell too much on her thoughts as Lotor’s ship fired his cannon at them. It took all the strength Voltron had until they were able to form the cannon to deflect and retaliate.

Persephone prayed to Hermes to give her strength as she tried maneuvering her craft to get closer to him. Despite her moving faster on her own, Lotor was still able to out maneuver her, and managed to literally slap her away in her craft. Persephone grunted in her exertion, but recuperated as quickly as she could. _Alright, fine. You want to be that way, then I’ll show you how an Amazon fights._

At that, Lotor’s ship sped away, proving itself faster than their own weapons. Keith called for more defenses. “We need to get in closer! Form sword!” Seeing their display, Lotor mirrored the same action with his mecha, and charged towards Voltron again.

She knew Voltron could handle the attack, but wanted to add as much defense as possible. Her fighter jet managed to make contact with his swords as he pushed back against Voltron and Persephone.

“Now we will see how Alfor’s legacy stands against the new Altean defender!” He could see Persephone struggling against the weight and exertion. _Where are your gods now? They have abandoned you, and all that is left is just me. Only you! Submit to me, and be mine!_ Voltron managed to push back against his attack and fired at Lotor again with their cannon.

As they fired, he managed to dodge all of their attacks as he flew circles around them. Every effort exerted proved fruitless. The rest of the paladins grew frustrated at Lotor’s attempts. “We need to stop him moving around, back him into a corner or something!” Hunk yelled. Keith agreed, as Voltron and Persephone managed to draw Lotor away for their plan.

As soon as they drew him away and managed to get Lotor into a corner of Daibaizzal’s ruins, they all fired upon his ship without any ease of the cannon. At first it seemed that their plan was successful, until Lotor’s Sincline appeared behind them, taking aim and firing upon them again.

Voltron and Persephone managed to fire again, only for Lotor to disappear. At first, Hunk and Lance seemed confident that the plan worked until Lotor seemed to appear out of thin air. Next thing they knew, they received a massive blow that left all of them disoriented.

Lotor’s mecha would seemingly disappear into the cosmos, as if it was an apparition, then re-appear in a flash, landing blows on both Persephone’s jet and on Voltron as well. He was able to enter into the quintessence field at will, and launch his attacks as he so pleased. Persephone grew weary as his barrage continued. _And we helped him with that. We worked together to create this, and now it is being used against us._

“Unlimited power is mine! All realities will fall to the new Altean Empire!” Thinking he was triumphant, Lotor launched another volley of fire at Voltron, yet still frustrated at their attempt to thwart his attack. He disappeared back into the quintessence field, biding his time for their awaited attack. _She’ll come to me, and she’ll bring them with her. Too proud to back down from a fight. I want her to feel the same pain that she had put me through._

Keith, Allura, and Persephone knew they had to enter the field, and try to put an end to this once and for all. “Let me ground this jet, and then I will come with the rest of you. You and I have more odds in our favor, Allura, and we’ll need both our power for this.” As Persephone grounded her fighter jet back at the Castle, she quickly reunited with the team and joined Allura in Blue Lion.

“Perse, once we enter the Rift, he might try to…” “I know. He has his abilities, but it will be you and I against him. He can’t overpower us.” With that, both women concentrated their efforts in channeling all of their energy to enter into the Rift. Allura gave the command. “Form sword.” In a flash of light and a sweep of the weapon, Voltron was able to enter into the Rift. As everyone looked around in amazement at their accomplishment, Persephone noticed the Sincline mecha ominously waiting for them.

“I underestimated you two, especially you, Perse.” In the pit of her stomach, Persephone felt dread at what might happen, either him or the rest of them would leave this place alive. “Look alive. He’s about to attack.” At her words, Voltron charged towards the Sincline. Both mecha clashed at each other with their swords, moving at such a speed that they would be mere flashes of light to the naked eye.

The paladins were amazed at how well they were able to recuperate from the attacks. Keith was equally amazed at their new abilities. “That’s not just it. Can all of you hear your lions talking to you? Voltron is capable of more than we can imagine.” Persephone could hear the voices from the Lions whispering to her. Were they warning her? Telling her of another plan? They had talked to her before so many times. Why did they seem hesitant now?

Even though she couldn’t dwell on her thoughts too long, Voltron charged towards Lotor again, back in the fight. Persephone could feel the paladins’ strength and aggression growing with every attack launched, and she felt for them. She had seen what unlimited power could do to mortals, and she couldn’t lose them to the fight.

After a volley of attacks, Voltron and Sincline refrained to recuperate themselves. Through the intercom, Persephone could hear the voices of her comrades viciously calling for the fight. “Let’s end this!” “Finish him!” “Let’s destroy that guy!” Persephone shook Allura’s arm to get her attention. “We have to call it off! We’ll end up killing each other.” Allura alerted the rest of her team, the panicking desperation in her voice. “We have to get out here! This is what happened to Zarkon! If we stay here any longer, we’ll destroy each other!”

Lotor could see Voltron stopping their attacks, his rage and arrogance ever growing from the exposure. In his last moments of clarity, he remembered how Persephone told tales of power corrupting others. In another time, he would have reassured her that fate would not befall him. Now, he wanted her to look at him with fear and awe and see what he was truly made of. “Poor princesses! All of the power of the universe gifted to you, and you still refuse to use it!”

Sincline charged at them again for one last attack before Persephone and Allura knew what they had to do, though Persephone bitterly cursed herself for what was to happen. “We can disable him with of our powers. It won’t kill him, but we’ll be able to stop him for now.” Allura knew this was a hard decision for her, but agreed. Both of the women joined their hands together, and kept their other hands on Blue Lion’s controls. As best as they could, they summoned all of the power from Voltron and directed it at Lotor in a continuous stream.

Lotor felt the energy blast hit him as he pushed on, his screams ringing throughout his ship. Though no one could hear him, he screamed until he could feel his throat grow hoarse. The last time he was here in the Rift with her, they made love and wanted to solidify that union.

Now, she was seeing to the end of him. If he could cry, he would have, but for now his painful rage burned like a fire within his soul and mind. Lotor gave one last final scream before he felt himself grow weary. With a last beam of energy thrown at him, everything went dark. If he were to die, Lotor thought that would be less painful than what she just did to him.

After both Persephone and Allura channeled the energy from Voltron, the alarms and signals alerted all of them right away. Keith proposed to grab Lotor despite the protests of the team. Allura and Persephone wanted to retrieve him as well. “We still need answers! He can at least lead us to the colony!” A shock of energy racked through Voltron again before Keith’s facial intercom appeared in the Blue Lion. “He’s made his choice, Perse. We have to go.”

Allura gently touched her hand as a sign to reaffirm her friend. “I’m so sorry, Perse. I know you wanted to…”. Persephone let out a bitter half-laugh. “It’s fine, Allura. We won’t be much good stuck in here.” As Voltron left the Rift, Persephone turned back to look upon his mecha with a bitter expression. Once they crossed back to where the Castle was held did she realize the small blessing she gave him when they were in the Rift together, for no harm to come upon him.

Persephone laughed bitterly to herself when they returned. A goddess’s word, let alone a demigoddess, is always a promise. And a promise is unbreakable. Despite the layers of pain, confusion, and heartache that she felt from today, Persephone also felt the smallest flicker of hope that their paths would cross again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay safe! and wash your hands!


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wheew! This took me a while to write, but the new chapter is finally here!

Once Voltron had exited the Rift, the rest of the paladins were still amazed by Persephone and Allura’s exertion against Lotor. Seeing the Rift close, Allura turned to Persephone with a shocked expression. “I could feel the energy pulsing through me, but what was the rest of that? It felt foreign and….archaic.”

“Something I learned from home, an old family trick we used to protect ourselves.” Despite the thanks both women received from their team, why did it feel so wrong at the same time? As if, it might have been something that needed to be reconsidered.

Soon, word from Coran alerted Voltron of their next concern: the effects of Lotor’s rift jumping. The rifts were spreading too dangerously that it threatened to destroy all of reality. Pidge and Hunk scrambled to find any solution they could, as Lance inquired if Allura or Persephone could do as such with their abilities. For such a daunting task, it could potentially take the life of another.

“Even if Allura and I could help, Lance, we would need the assistance of something far greater, and more powerful, to help us.” Coran interjected at that moment with a solution. “There might be a way I can overload the teleduv reactor and seal the rift. If one of the flashes went off in the rift, it could do the job.” Hunk’s heart sunk as he realized what that entailed. “But that would mean sacrificing the Castle of the Lions.”

Pidge didn’t like the idea either, but knew it had to be done. “What choice do we have? The Castle will be wiped out with the rest of us.” Hunk’s eyes started to brim with tears. “But still….it’s been our home.” The weight of the choice remained on everyone’s heart, but they knew that it had to be done or they would lose their lives. Allura spoke up to remind everyone of the situation at hand. “Coran, began preparations. Everyone else, start unloading the Castle. We need to evacuate immediately.”

Not a moment to lose, everyone rushed to load their Lions and take as many of their belongings as they could. In the flurried movements of bodies, Persephone looked around as she loaded her jet. This had been her home since she took up arms for this war, and until now, it had been centuries since she last called a castle “home”.

This was where she bonded and grew with her new friends, her new family. Where she had met and had gotten to know the one she came to love, now left behind. She didn’t let them see her cry, but she could feel her tears threatening to spill at the loss they were facing. With the last of the Castle packed up, Coran gave his last farewell to the Castle as he departed with Allura. All ships sped away as much as they could from the Castle, as they quickly sped away from the impending blow back.

Watching the Castle enter the tear in reality, Persephone’s heart sunk. She could only imagine how Coran and Allura felt, seeing their last connection to home be lost, as some type of twisted collateral for saving their lives. As the Lions and Persephone’s jet sped away, they were shaken by the aftershocks of the Castle’s explosion. From fire, their lives were spared, but their past memories were nothing but ashes now.

After the aftershocks subsided, the paladins turned around one last time to look upon their efforts. Hunk noticed something glowing in the distance and raced forward to see what it was. “It’s a diamond. The pressure crushed the Castle of the Lions into this little diamond.” He opened his Lion and let it float carefully inside for safekeeping. It was a bittersweet gesture, but the pain of their loss still felt fresh.

Unsure of what their plan was now, Lance piped in. “Well, we saved all realities everywhere. What do we do now?” Realizing that Shiro still remain incapacitated, Keith urged on for the team to land somewhere to tend to him. In an instant, they raced towards any nearby planet that could offer them some respite.

They landed at the nearest one they could find, one that had been uninhabited and wouldn’t disturb them. Keith gently placed Shiro’s body down, trying to keep calm for the sake of leadership, but felt his hope dwindling with each minute. “The body is barely living, but his spirit is still alive. It’s inside the Black Lion. I’ve heard him talking to me.” Realizing in horror what Shiro was attempting previously, Lance broke down in distraught tears, throwing himself to the ground.

“He…he tried to hell me but I didn’t realize. I’m so sorry, Shiro. I – I didn’t know. I could’ve…”. His sobs broke Persephone’s heart. She and Allura both gently placed their hands on his shaking shoulders. If there was still hope, and time, they could save their friend. As both women made their way over to the Black Lion, Persephone could feel a torrent of emotions pouring out from it as she placed her hands on the mechanism.

His fear, his anger, his sorrow, his cries for help, and the last glimmer of hope he had left, it hit Persephone all at once. She wanted to cry out to her friend, to comfort him, but knew this was the only way to save him. Having absorbed the power from within, she and Allura made their way over back to the group and both placed their hands on Shiro.

As she did so, Persephone could feel the clone’s emotions as well, his anger and conflict over being used as a weapon, but how he came to care for the paladins as his own. Returning Shiro’s soul to his body was taking a toll on Persephone and her mind as she felt the clone’s own consciousness come into contact with her as it tried to fight her. _Why is this happening? Who am I? Who are you?_ She felt nothing of malice, only pity. Even if he wasn’t their Shiro, they had come to care for each other as such. He had become his own person in their time together.

In his anger and confusion, she reached out to him words of comfort. _Someone brought you forth to be used as a tool of revenge and pain, yet you were our friend and we cared for you._ The clone’s anger slowly subsided, giving way to a sort of bitter acceptance. _So that’s how it ends for me? Existence merely wiped away as a convenience_? She shook her head at his words. _No, we won’t forget you. I won’t forget you. What has happened to you was a cruel twist of fate, and yet we still cared for you. You deserved better._

Suddenly, Persephone could feel the clone’s anger subside to one of peace. _Will it hurt? No, I give you peace and all you will know in the end is paradise._ She felt his smile one last time as her and Allura’s healing process was drawing, a soft _thank you_ as his last farewell as she gave him peace. With the healing completed, everyone anticipated as Shiro began to come to. At the first sign of consciousness, the Lions let out a victorious roar, welcoming the return of their beloved comrade, one that shook the planet and the sky.

The rest of the team erupted into cheers and tears of joy, relieved to have Shiro back. As Shiro opened his eyes with a groan, he was met with the hopeful smiles of his teammates. “You found me.” “We’re glad to have you back, Shiro.” Persephone leaned down to offer him a gentle hug in his condition. “Don’t scare us that way ever again.” He managed a quiet laugh as he closed his eyes to rest.

With their teammate revived, the paladins planned their next course, with no home now and no one left to fight. With a smile, Pidge notified them of where their next, and possible final stop would be. “There’s only one place that has the plans necessary to build a replacement for the Castle of the Lions. Coran gave them to my dad.” With a realizing smile, they all knew that it was high time they were called back home.

Excited to return back to the planet she adored so much, Persephone couldn’t help but feel a dull pain in her heart. Despite what had happened, she wanted to begin a new era of life with Lotor, and showing him the remnants of her own world that laid on Earth. Little did she know of the plan the Fates still wove for her and her future. This was only the beginning. 

Even as the paladins planned their joyous return to Earth, back in the Rift, Lotor had awoken from his ordeal. Deep shuddering breaths were the only sound that echoed in the mecha. Eyes wild, hair mussed, and scorch marks decorating his body and armor, Lotor’s once calm and calculated demeanor had fallen into the panicked state of a young boy. Dark spots decorated his vision and he ran his fingers through his hair, trying to assess what happened.

Then, it dawned on him. They fought. It was an intense battle, one where they intended to hurt the other. Or….no, he couldn’t say it. _Kill_ , the darker part of his mind told him. The one still affected and driven mad by pain from the quintessence. “No, I wouldn’t kill her….I couldn’t. Am I capable of that?” He couldn’t bring himself to think of that. No matter how much Realizing he was talking to no one but himself, Lotor devolved into laughter, and that laughter soon became bitter, loud sobs.

For once, Lotor was ironically grateful for being alone. Even thought he could be alone around others, he now found himself grateful for being alone. Alone to truly be himself, just for once, and grant himself the release he always held in for so long. He cried for his life, his father’s death, his mother’s betrayal, the falling out with Voltron, and for his lost love. How he longed for her soft touch, to run her fingers through his hair and comfort him as she had done before.

Weak and exhausted from everything, Lotor cried himself to exhaustion until his eyes felt dry and his voice grew hoarse. The exhaustion began to claim him as his vision grew dark again from exhaustion. He tried to think of better things, if his tormented mind, or the wild forces of the Rift, allowed him. Soon, it grew quiet as Lotor closed his eyes and tried to think of better things, better memories of a woman’s smile he grew to love. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!


End file.
